Every year I struggle with the proper way to celebrate Martin Luther King Day. I'm 33 now, which means I have seen all his speeches from I Have A Dream, to the I've Been to Mountain top, to the speech where he said forget about marches, lets get money. I have been to roundtables about his past, present and future legacy, and I have also heard people say that this shouldn't even be a holiday. Yet with all that swirling around in my mind, I still struggle with the best method to "celebrate" this holiday, and then an incident that happened on Saturday crossed my mind.
I was talking to my son's mother, and she didn't even realize that Monday was a holiday, let alone Dr. King day. When I told her what holiday it was she still didn't believe me, which I thought was just odd. But today it occured to me that if she didn't know the holiday, there is a good chance my son is not getting educated on Dr. King either. I'm sure his school is doing something to honor him(although he lives in Virginia, so its not a given) but I think it would be worth it for him to hear from his Daddy about why Dr. King has a holiday, and what his legacy is.
Besides, I'm still recovering from my birthday yesterday, and I don't feel like going ANYWHERE.
Undeniably - Terence Trent D'Arby
5 comments:
I can't believe what I just read about your son's mother. That's unbelievable she doesn't recognize King's birthday or legacy. Mobley, make that happen.... His mother should be ashamed of herself.... that’s ridiculous.
teach the truth to the young black youth.
I wonder if your son's mom lack of rememberance of the King Holiday has to do with being caught up in her own stuff or the fact that she's in Virginia, the same state that tried to combine the King Holiday with Robert E. Lee Day (or somebody from the Confederate Army...I can't remember if the holiday was for him or Jefferson Davis). I hope you impress upon her how important it is not to forget. Actually, I know you did. I just hope you didn't do something that Larry David would do....hahahahahaa
WOW...kind of scary that somebody didn't know when his holiday was. I think you should start something new and every year be sure to teach you son something about what Dr. King stood for on that day, just to make sure he is getting the info from somebody
So, did you edumacate him? And don't act surprised that your son's mom didn't know it was MLK day .. .aside from knowing that February is Black History Month - our month to be congratulated and liked (!) - I NEVER know what day MLK day will fall on, so it's totally likely that she didn't either. Now HOPEFULLY she DOES know that we DO celebrate MLK day in February. 'Cause if she doesn't know that, then young Carlton is in for a rude awakening when he gets older.
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