{"id":1991,"date":"2009-11-14T16:43:34","date_gmt":"2009-11-14T21:43:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/openwidelookinside\/archives\/1991"},"modified":"2009-11-14T16:43:34","modified_gmt":"2009-11-14T21:43:34","slug":"teaching-civics-with-childrens-literature-my-brother-martin-a-sister-remembers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/openwidelookinside\/2009\/11\/14\/teaching-civics-with-childrens-literature-my-brother-martin-a-sister-remembers\/","title":{"rendered":"Teaching Civics with Children’s Literature: My Brother Martin: A Sister Remembers"},"content":{"rendered":"

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My Brother Martin<\/a>, written by Christine King Farris and beautifully illustrated by Chris Soentpiet<\/a> tells the story of Martin Luther King, Jr. through the eyes of his sister Christine.<\/p>\n

In this book we learn about the boyhood of King, known to his sister as “ML”. The author tells us that she and her brothers ML, and AD grew up in Atlanta, Georgia just like normal children. Their days were filled with books, games, friends, and even playing pranks on unsuspecting neighbors.\u00a0 However, she tells us that this was “back in a time when certain places in our country had unfair laws that said it was right to keep black people separated.”\u00a0 ML and his siblings didn’t quite understand the effects of these laws until one day their white playmates were no longer allowed to play with them.\u00a0 Martin is especially confused by what is happening and asks his mother,\u00a0 “Why do white people treat colored people so mean?”\u00a0 His mother answers, “Because they just don’t understand that everyone is the same, but someday, it will be better.”\u00a0 The author tells us that she will always remember ML’s reply, “one day I’m going to turn this world upside down.”\u00a0 The story then continues to tell how ML grew up to become a civil rights leader who “dreamed a dream, that turned the world upside down.”<\/p>\n

\u00a0Curriculum Connections<\/strong>
\nThis book would pair well with any lesson about the contributions of Martin Luther King, Jr.\u00a0 It could be used for students who are learning about Americans whose contributions improved the lives of others (SOL 2.11, SOL 3.11), as well as the theme that Americans are a people of diverse ethnic origins, customs, and traditions, who are united by the basic principles of a republican form of government and respect for individual rights and freedoms (SOL 3.12).<\/p>\n

Additional Resources<\/strong><\/p>\n