Issue55213th-19thJanuary2017
look closer
special report
who was martin luther king?
EVERYyear,onthethirdMondayinJanuary,people
acrossAmericaandtheworldcelebrateMarEnLuther
KingDay.TheaimistohonourthelifeofDrMarEn
LutherKingJr–oneofAmerica’sgreatestcivilrights
leaders,whodidsomuchtoensurepeoplearetreated
equally,nomaQerwhatthecolouroftheirskin.
A DIFFERENT TIME
BornonJanuary15th1929inAtlanta,Georgia,USA,Martin
LutherKingJrgrewupinatimewhenwhiteandblackpeople
weresegregated(keptseparate).Hewenttoadifferentschool
tohiswhitefriendsand,whenridingthebus,he’dbeforcedto
standsothatwhitepeoplecouldsitdown.
Whileatschool,Kingfoundthathehadatalentforpublic
speaking,joiningthedebateteamattheageof12.Afewyears
later,heleftuniversitywithadegree,and
joinedtheBaptistChurchasDrKing.
HOW DID HE BECOME AN
ACTIVIST?
On1December1955,ablackwoman
namedRosaParks(picturedright)was
arrestedforrefusingtogiveupherseatto
awhitepassenger,afterthe‘white
section’ofthevehiclewasfilled.DrKing,
whowasjuststartingoutasacampaignerforcivilrights,joined
thefight.Hecalledforallpeopleofcolourtoboycott(refuseto
ride)thebuses,untiltheywerenolongersegregated.The
boycottlastedformorethan380days.Duringthattime,King
hadhishousebombedandwasalsoarrested.
In1956,segregationonbuseswasruledasillegal,which
caughttheattentionofthewholeofAmerica.Kingfound
himselfturnedintoanationalfigureandaspokesmanforcivil
rights.
CREATING A MOVEMENT
Followingtheirvictoryoverthesegregatedbuses,Martin
LutherKingjoinedothercivilrightsleaderstoformtheSouthern
ChristianLeadershipConference(SCLC).Theywerededicatedto
organisingnon-violentprotestsagainstsegregationandracism
everywhere.
Forthenext11years,MartinLutherKingandtheSCLCwould
successfullypushbackracistlawsandattitudesintheUS,using
non-violentprotests.Hewouldbearrestedmorethan29times,
andfacedoppositionfromallangles.
ItwaswiththeSCLCthatMartinLutherKingfamously
marchedonWashingtonin1963.Alongwithsixothercivilrights
leaders,DrKinggaveaspeechattheLincolnmemorialtomore
thanaquarterofamillionpeople.
“I HAVE A DREAM”
ThatspeechlaterbecameknownastheIHaveADream
speech,wherehespokeabouthisdreamthat“myfourlittle
childrenwillonedayliveinanationwheretheywillnotbe
judgedbythecolouroftheirskinbutbythecontentoftheir
character.”Itisnowseenasoneofthegreatestspeechesin
Americanhistory.
ASSASSINATED
JamesEarlRay,anescapedconvict,shotandkilledDrMartin
LutherKingJron4April1968.RiotsspreadacrossAmerica,
despiteKing’sfriendsandcolleaguescallingforpeopletofollow
King’swishesandprotestpeacefully.
CELEBRATING MARTIN LUTHER KING JR
DAY
ThepeacefulprotestsledbyMartinLutherKinghelpedto
changeAmericanlawandmadeitillegaltotreatpeople
differentlybasedontheirrace,colour,orreligion(TheCivil
RightsActsof1964and1968).MartinLutherKingDaybecame
anationalholidayintheUSAin1986.Onthisday,people
remembertheman,hisworkandhisinspiringwords,whichstill
containapowerfulmessagefortoday.
Glossary
CIVILRIGHTS:therightsofpeopletobetreatedequally
ACTIVIST:apersonwhocampaignsforsomekindof
socialchange
The statue of King
in Washington DC
LOOKCLOSER
Issue55213th-19thJanuary2017
Who was Martin Luther King?
1)MaranLutherKingwasacivilrightscampaigner.Whatdoesthismean?
2) WhenMaranLutherKingwasgrowingup,peopleinAmericaweresegregated.Whatissegrega&on?
3) WhywasRosaParksarrestedin1955?
4) WhydidMaranLutherKingbecomea“naaonalfigure”in1956?
5) DrKingcampaignedthroughpeacefulprotest.Givethreeexamplesofthingshedid,ororganised,topersuadepeople
thateveryoneshouldbetreatedequally.
1
2
3
6) Manypeopledidn’twanttohearwhathehadtosay.HowdoyouknowthatMaranLutherKingmusthavebeen
incrediblydeterminedanddedicatedtohiscause?
7) In1963,MaranLutherKinggavehisfamous‘Ihaveadream’speechatahugeprotestmarchinWashington.What
washisdream?(Tryanduseyourownwords.)
8) Howdoyouknowthatthecivilrightsprotestsofthe1960sweresuccessful?
9) Putthesekeyeventsinthecorrectorder.
ShotandkilledbyJamesEarlRay
CampaignedtoendsegregaEononbuses
CivilRightsAct1964becomeslaw
Born15Jan1929
MarEnLutherKingDaybecomesanaEonalholiday
Gavehis‘Ihaveadream’speech
10) ThejournalistsaysthatthelifeandwordsofMaranLutherKing“sallcontainapowerfulmessagefortoday”?What
canwelearnfromMaranLutherKing?
LOOKCLOSER
Issue55213th-19thJanuary2017
Who was Martin Luther King?
1)MaranLutherKingwasacivilrightscampaigner.Whatdoesthismean?
2) WhenMaranLutherKingwasgrowingup,peopleinAmericaweresegregated.Whatissegrega&on?
3) WhywasRosaParksarrestedin1955?
4) WhydidMaranLutherKingbecomea“naaonalfigure”in1956?
5) DrKingcampaignedthroughpeacefulprotest.Givethreeexamplesofthingshedid,ororganised,topersuadepeople
thateveryoneshouldbetreatedequally.
1
2
3
6) Manypeopledidn’twanttohearwhathehadtosay.HowdoyouknowthatMaranLutherKingmusthavebeen
incrediblydeterminedanddedicatedtohiscause?
7) In1963,MaranLutherKinggavehisfamous‘Ihaveadream’speechatahugeprotestmarchinWashington.What
washisdream?(Tryanduseyourownwords.)
LOOKCLOSER
Issue55213th-19thJanuary2017
Who was Martin Luther King?
8) Howdoyouknowthatthecivilrightsprotestsofthe1960sweresuccessful?
9) Putthesekeyeventsinthecorrectorder.
ShotandkilledbyJamesEarlRay
CampaignedtoendsegregaEononbuses
CivilRightsAct1964becomeslaw
Born15Jan1929
MarEnLutherKingDaybecomesanaEonalholiday
Gavehis‘Ihaveadream’speech
10) ThejournalistsaysthatthelifeandwordsofMaranLutherKing“sallcontainapowerfulmessagefortoday”?What
canwelearnfromMaranLutherKing?
LOOKCLOSER
Issue55213th-19thJanuary2017
Who was Martin Luther King?
EXTENSION ACTIVITIES
A) I HAVE A DREAM
Doyouhaveadreamforthefutureorsomethingyouwouldliketochange?Itcouldbeasmallchangewhich
happenstobeimportanttoyou,oritcouldbesomethingwhichmayseemdifficulttoachieveandmighttakea
longametocometrue,butisworthfighangfor.Writedownsomeofyourdreamsforthefuture.
Ihaveadream…
Ihaveadream…
Ihaveadream…
Ihaveadream…
b) I HAVE A DREAM
MaranLutherKinggavehundredsofspeecheswhichinspiredmillionsofpeopletofightforchange.Hereare
somequotaaons.Takeamomenttoreadthemthroughandthinkaboutthemeaningofeachone.
Whichdoyoufindmostinteresangandinspiring?Canyouexplainwhy?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
“Forgivenessisnotanoccasionalact,itisaconstantaftude.”
“Peaceisnotmerelyadistantgoalthatweseek,butameansbywhichwearriveatthatgoal.”
“Loveistheonlyforcecapableoftransforminganenemyintoafriend.”
“Nonviolencemeansavoidingnotonlyexternalphysicalviolencebutalsointernalviolenceofspirit.Younot
onlyrefusetoshootaman,butyourefusetohatehim.”
“Ifwedonotlearntolivetogetherasfriends,wewilldieapartasfools.”
“Whenevermenandwomenstraightentheirbacksup,theyaregoingsomewhere,becauseamancan’tride
yourbackunlessitisbent.”
“Ourlivesbegintoendthedaywebecomesilentaboutthingsthatmaier.”
“Ifyoucan’tflythenrun,ifyoucan’trunthenwalk,ifyoucan’twalkthencrawl,butwhateveryoudokeep
movingforward.”
DrMar&nLutherKingJr
LOOKCLOSER
Issue55213th-19thJanuary2017
Who was Martin Luther King?
AIMOFTHENEWSCOMPREHENSIONS
Newsreportsareuniquenon-fictiontexts.Beingreal,theynaturallyengagechildren,andwiththerangeoftopicsthatare
covered,helptodeveloppupils’knowledgeandunderstandingofthewiderworldoutsidetheclassroom.
Thereportsareidealforshort,focusedcomprehensionordiscussionactivities.Alongwiththeopportunitytofindfascinating
factsandappreciatetheopinionsofthoseinvolved,thereisplentytobeinferredanddeducedtounderstandinmoredepth
whatisbeingreported.Likeauthors,journalistsplaywithlanguage,sonews‘stories’arerichnuggetsoftexttoinvestigateand
providetheopportunityforawiderangeofreadingskillstobepractisedeachweek.Theseskillsshouldfitwithinmostschools’
readingandliteracyprogrammes.
TEACHERANSWERGUIDE
Theteacheranswersareintendedtoprovideaguidetothereadingskilleachquestionispractising.Suggestionsaregivenfora
STARTINGPOINTresponsethatpupilscouldgive.Furthersuggestionsthengiveafuller,moreDEVELOPEDRESPONSEthat
studentswillworktowardstoreachandexceedthefloorstandardsrequiredattheendofprimaryschool.Foralistofthese
readingskillsusedtoreferencequestions,[email protected].
Answers
1) MaranLutherKingwasacivilrightscampaigner.Whatdoesthismean?
READINGSKILL:Understandvocabularyincontext
(NC2a/SATsCD2a)
• Hefoughtforpeople’srighttobetreatedfairlyandequally(whatevertheirskincolour,backgroundorsex).
2) WhenMaranLutherKingwasgrowingup,peopleinAmericaweresegregated.Whatissegrega&on?
READINGSKILL:Understandvocabularyincontext
(NC2a/SATsCD2a)
• keepingdifferentgroupsofpeopleseparate,forexampleblackandwhitepeople
3) WhywasRosaParksarrestedin1955?
READINGSKILL:Findandexplaininformation
(NC2a/SATsCD2b(i&ii)/AF2)
Star&ngpoint:
• Sherefusedtogiveupherseattoawhitepassenger
Correctlyiden&fiedinforma&on:
• Shewouldn’tgiveupherseattoawhitepassengeronabus,whenthelawsaidshehadtodothisbecauseshe
wasblack.
4) WhydidMaranLutherKingbecomea“naaonalfigure”in1956?
READINGSKILL:Inferinformaaonandjusafywithevidence
(NC2c&8/SATsCD2d(ii)/AF3)
Star&ngpoint:
• Segregaaononbuseswasruledillegal.
• ThebusprotestcaughttheaienaonofAmerica.
Developedresponse:
• KinghadtakenpartintheRosaParksprotestandhadaskedpeopletoboycoithebuses.Thecampaignwas
successfulandthelawwaschanged.ThismadehimfamousinAmerica.
5) DrKingcampaignedthroughpeacefulprotest.Givethreeexamplesofthingshedid,ororganised,topersuade
peoplethateveryoneshouldbetreatedequally.
READINGSKILL:Findandexplaininformation
(NC2a/SATsCD2b(i&ii)/AF2)
Correctlyiden&fiedinforma&on
1. boycois
2.marches
LOOKCLOSER
Issue55213th-19thJanuary2017
Who was Martin Luther King?
3.gavespeeches
6) Manypeopledidn’twanttohearwhathehadtosay.HowdoyouknowthatMaranLutherKingmusthavebeen
incrediblydeterminedanddedicatedtohiscause?
READINGSKILL:Inferinformaaonandjusafywithevidence
(NC2c&8/SATsCD2d(ii)/AF3)
Star&ngpoint:
• Intheendhewaskilled.
• Hewasarrestedalot.
Developedresponse:
• Hecarriedoncampaigningandprotesangeventhoughhishousewasbombedandhewasarrestedmorethan
29amesforhisviews.
7) In1963,MaranLutherKinggavehisfamous‘Ihaveadream’speechatahugeprotestmarchinWashington.
Whatwashisdream?(Tryanduseyourownwords.)
READINGSKILL:Inferinformaaonandjusafywithevidence
(NC2c&8/SATsCD2d(ii)/AF3)
Star&ngpoint:
• thathischildrenwouldnotbejudgedbythecolouroftheirskin.
• thathischildrenwouldbejudgedfairly
Developedresponse:
• Hisdreamwasforhischildrentobejudgedfortheirpersonalityandcharacter–whattheydoandsay–andnot
becauseoftheircolour.
8) Howdoyouknowthatthecivilrightsprotestsofthe1960sweresuccessful?
READINGSKILL:Findandexplaininformation
(NC2a/SATsCD2b(i&ii)/AF2)
Star&ngpoint:
• Lawswerechanged.
• Thereisn’tanysegregaaonanymore.
Correctlyiden&fiedinforma&on:
• LawswerechangedinAmericatomakesocietymorefair:firstsegregaaononbuseswasruledillegalandthen
theCivilRightsActsmadeitillegaltotreatpeopledifferentlybasedontheircolour.
9) Putthesekeyeventsinthecorrectorder.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
1929-born15Jan
1955-campaignedtoendsegregaaononbuses
1963-gavehis‘Ihaveadream’speech
1964-CivilRightsAct1964becomeslaw
1968-shotandkilledbyJamesEarlRay
1986-MaranLutherKingDaybecomesanaaonalholiday
10) ThejournalistsaysthatthelifeandwordsofMaranLutherKing“sallcontainapowerfulmessage”?Whatcan
welearnfromMaranLutherKingtoday?
READINGSKILL:Developpersonalideasfromreadingnewsstories
(NC6,7&8)
Star&ngpoint:
• Theimportanceoftreaangpeoplefairly.
• Notjudgingpeoplebecauseoftheirskincolour.
Developedresponse:
• It’ssallveryimportanttotreatpeopleequallyandnottojudgepeopleforthingswhichdon’tmaier,suchas
theircolour,religionorbackground.
• Whatmaiersishowapersonthinksoracts–theirpersonality–notwhattheylooklike.
LOOKCLOSER
Issue55213th-19thJanuary2017
Who was Martin Luther King?
•
•
•
Heremindsusit’simportanttostandupforwhatyoubelieveinandkeepfighang,evenwhenit’sverydifficult.
Thewayhechosetogethismessageacrossshowshowmuchcanbedonethroughpeacefulprotest,ratherthan
aggressionandviolence.
Heshowsusthepowerofwords.