I asked my daughter if her teachers had spoken to the class about today’s holiday.  She said: “No, but I don’t have to go to school.  Yay!”  I was about to launch into a “this is why we need to know about Martin Luther King Jr.” speech when I paused because I didn’t know how to explain his impact to a four year old.  To explain the importance of Dr. King, I would have to tell her about what our country was like before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and I don’t think that’s something she can process at her age.  

I told her that Dr. King dedicated his life to making sure that all people were treated with respect, dignity and given the rights that they deserve.  Telling her why his dedication was essential is a more difficult task.  When is it that we tell our children about prejudice, hate and injustice?  The ideal is to keep it away from them for as long as possible.  But that isn’t the way the world works.

So, I told Maggie that Dr. King changed our world for the better (she nodded) and that he studied Gandhi (she gasped).  Maggie is a big fan of Gandhi.  Always has been.  Something about him really speaks to her.  I’m hoping it’s his belief in non-violence and not just his circle glasses and sandals.  

For now, I’ve decided to leave the subject of today’s holiday to a day of celebration—a day to remember one of our bravest, most eloquent, and most important Americans.  I suppose I’ll tell Maggie a little more about Dr. King each year.  Because, it’s a story that has to be told.