Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. | Commemorating His Dream in Miami

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Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. | Commemorating His Dream in Miami Lynda Lantz Contributor Miami Mom Collective
Photo by Suzy Brooks on Unsplash

It was freezing that day. Literally. My husband and I had flown up to Northern VA to spend Christmas with my family and made plans to spend the day doing the tourist thing in DC. My dad was our tour guide, leading us to some of his favorite places downtown: the White House, International Monetary Fund Headquarters, WWII Memorial, Natural History Museum, and a ton of things in between. Having grown up in the DC Metro area, I’d been to many of these places before. But the place that impacted me the most on that particular trip, that made the miles of preggo waddling and frigid wind chill worth it, was the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial.  

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. | Commemorating His Dream in Miami Lynda Lantz Contributor Miami Mom Collective
Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope

It was powerful and stunning, like the force that he was.  

He accomplished much in his short life, which was taken from him when he was fatally shot in Memphis, TN at the young age of 39. In a span of only 14 years, he used his influence to lead the fight for civil rights legislation and equality for African-Americans at the local, state, and federal levels. And though his life was cut so painfully short, the legacy of his dream continues to inspire hope and call for change in our society… for true freedom for every American.

The Reverend Dr. King in Miami

During the Civil Rights Movement (1954-1968), Martin Luther King spent a lot of time in Miami. In fact, I recently learned that he gave an early version of his iconic I Have a Dream speech at the Historic Hampton House in 1960, where the who’s who of Black entertainers, influencers, and athletes stayed during segregation in Miami. I asked a friend of ours whose family ran the restaurant at the Hampton House if his parents knew Dr. King. His mother described him as having a presence and a seriousness about him, that he was known primarily as a reverend, and also shared memories of his ability to cut loose and laugh with friends during his many stays there.

Lynda Lantz Contributor Miami Mom Collective
One of many local murals of Dr. King. This one is located at SW corner of NW 62 St and 7th Ave.

MLK Day

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, which falls on the third Monday of January, is an annual federal holiday marking the birthday of Dr. King. And though it’s always a good time to discuss Dr. King and his dream, it’s an especially meaningful time to engage our children in discussions of his vision and what he fought for, and involve them in local opportunities to serve

Here are two local MLK events taking place this year:

YMCA Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service (Jan 16)

This event, sponsored by the YMCA, is an opportunity to serve our local community. Register here.

46th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Parade (Jan 16)

In 1977, Miami made history when it became the first city in the U.S. to host an MLK Day Parade! The parade will be recorded and broadcast as a special on WLRN.

Talking With Our Children

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. | Commemorating His Dream in Miami Lynda Lantz Contributor Miami Mom Collective
MLK in the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, August 28, 1963. Photo by History in HD on Unsplash

It can be challenging to discuss difficult aspects of our history with our children. But it is also necessary. Here are a few books I’ve found to be useful in helping my young children understand who Dr. King was and the significance of his dream:

I Have a Dream by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; paintings by Kadir Nelson
Let the Children March by Monica Clark-Robinson; illustrated by Frank Morrison
A Sweet Smell of Roses by Angela Johnson; illustrated by Eric Velasquez

I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant. 

–Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

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Lynda
Lynda Lantz is originally from Côte d'Ivoire, where she lived until the age of 7 when her family moved to Northern VA. She graduated with a degree in music from George Mason University and went on to work with Cru at four universities in Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Florida. She was living in PA when she met her husband, Steve, on eHarmony and moved to Miami in 2011 just a few days after their wedding. Shortly before becoming SAHM, she was employed as an adoption caseworker and worked part-time with Cru at UM, and later Johnson & Wales University. Since then, she's been heavily involved in BSF which allows her to build relationships, pursue personal growth and develop leadership skills. She loves working with Miami Mom Collective and introducing people to this city she's come to call home, where she lives with her husband and two children. Connect with Lynda @mybalantzedlife on Instagram.

4 COMMENTS

  1. Thank you for this important article Lynda! I didn’t realize Dr King had a Miami connection. May his legacy live on through us and our children!

    • Thank you, Ana-Sofia! I’m glad it was helpful. I think the illustrated version of “I Have a Dream” by Kadir Nelson would be great for Parker. The artwork is breathtaking.

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