Saturday we were already in Waco for our Ag Id Contest;
Ag Id -First place as a team, third individual for me, and first individual for C! YAY! So proud of my little brothers :)
so we decided to drive by the Magnolia Homes store. That's where Joanna Gaines from HGTV's Fixer Upper sells a lot of the decorating items she uses on the shows. You can find it at :
3801 Bosque Blvd.
Waco, TX 76710
Office: 254-235-6111
Shop: 254-235-0603
She has several Baylor students working there - I guess she's too busy with the show to work behind the counters! One really sweet thing is that there are a lot of Bible verses up in the store. :) The store has a lot of unique, rustic items. Everyone there is definitely, obviously a tourist, and it's quite entertaining to watch them. The place is small, and they're planning an expansion at the 'Silos' - some old silos they're renovating and expanding to include an antiques trade days and a food truck parking lot. From the Waco Tribune: "The Gaineses estimate they will spend $1.4 million on the renovation and finish it in early 2015. The result would be a Magnolia headquarters and retail center, plus an indoor “trade days market” open monthly or weekly, as well as a food truck court with regular hours."
Recently I was accepted into the 4-H Fuel Up To Play 60's Healthy Lifestyles Ambassador Program.
Since Fuel Up To Play 60 is sponsored by the NFL, all of us who were selected as Ambassadors where given VIP tickets for a special tour of AT&T Stadium, where the Dallas Cowboys play.
the golden ticket :)
Even though I don't know much about football, I still had a good time and found the tour really interesting. It was fun to tour it with my new Ambassador friends.
the view after you step off the escalators.
-We got to see the players' and the cheerleaders' locker rooms, the place where the Cowboys all run out onto the field, the private underground parking for players, cheerleaders, and box owners, and the fancy boxes that people can rent.
-The stadium can hold over 100,000 people- they just filled every seat and box for the last George Strait concert ever, held there. (let's have a moment of silence here, folks. no more new George Strait songs. ever. :( whyyyyyy) Okay, moving on.
-You can actually see where the Texas Rangers play from the stadium. I've been there, too!
-The stadium has the largest retractable endzone doors in the world, and when the dome's open, it can become an outdoor stadium. Cool, huh? It hosts concerts, (Beyonce, 1D, George Strait) basketball games, bull riding, boxing matches, monster truck, and motocross.
We were all freaking out and laughing. It was so much fun. :)
-To get to the locker rooms we took a freight elevator underground, which was scary but fun. It rattled.
-We also got to go to the press conference room, where reporters ask players questions about the game.
On the press conference stage.
Then we went out to eat at a place called The Mellow Mushroom. It was decorated 70's style and served different types of pizza. I had the baked potato mini pizza and it was really good! Then we went to the hotel and to bed so we could get up early for training the next morning. I'll do a post on training later.
It's pretty safe to say everyone knows who Isaac Newton was. You've probably heard about his laws of motion, his research in optics, or his discoveries through calculus. Either way, Sir Newton is hailed as a successful genius.
But did you know he had a very hard life? His father died before he was born, and after his mother got him financially situated, she left him with his grandparents. She remarried a rich man and spent tons of money on her other children's educations.
Isaac returned to live with her and his new stepfather at age 10. Around this time his mother pulled him out of school as it cost to much. She spared no amount of money on her other children, but she was unusually stern when it came to Isaac. His school teachers noticed the potential in him and offered to teach him free of charge if she'd let him return to school.
He was friends with the younger children and the girls, making fully-functioning miniature watermills (he was fascinated with those) and doll furniture. He did hot, however, fit in with the other boys, and they teased him for spending time with girls and smaller children.
When he left for college he had to pay his own way by working as a sizar, a highly undesirable position. Sizars were servants for richer students. It was embarrassing for Isaac, who was from a wealthy family, to serve in this position. His friends' fathers and mothers paid for their sons' education, parties, and clothing- Isaac could barely buy food.
Petty and jealous all his life, he had few friends at college. One friend, a boy named John, assisted him in the lab and during his discoveries. Isaac could be secretive- he practiced alchemy, something he could've been thrown in prison for at the time. Anyone who has read the Harry Potter books is familiar with the Philosopher's Stone; Newton truly believed this stone existed and much of his alchemy work was devoted to trying to find this. He also kept his discoveries hidden from John. He was often seen wandering the college campuses all alone.
After graduating from Trinity College, he would write the Principa and go on to complete his famous discoveries, but it was his lonely childhood and troubled college experience that set the basis for his adult life.
In a later memoir, Newton wrote:
"I do not know what I may appear to the world, but to myself I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the sea-shore, and diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me."
It's been too long, dahlings! Here's what's been going on in my life lately:
I participated in my 4-H's County Food Show. I made homemade Chicken Pot Pie, and I placed first in my category, so I'll be advancing to District,then hopefully State! At the same Food Show, I also participated in a Food Challenge(Think Iron Chef or Chopped). My team made the delicious meal below and gave a speech on it to a panel of judges.
My team!
I've also been gearing up for the Academic Rodeo Fashion Show. Instead of modelling a dress, you wear a specialty outfit. So I chose an outfit a female lawyer might wear. I prepared all the paperwork and now just have to model.
I also wrote an essay on "Good Deeds" for the Academic Rodeo. If I win, I'm eligible for scholarships. Fingers crossed!
We've been reading Oscar Wilde's works for our homeschool literature , particularly The Happy Prince and Other Stories. The book pictured above contains 9 stories. The first story, The Happy Prince, is the most famous. The story: A golden statue of a prince sits high above the city. Everyone looks up at it and thinks that it seems so happy. A swallow meets the statue ,which is of the late "Happy Prince". The statue houses the soul of the original prince, who in reality has never experienced true happiness. He explains to the swallow that he is very sad, as he can look down and see the suffering of the people. He never understood their suffering before. The statue convinces the swallow to help him by picking of his golden cover and taking pieces of gold to the poor. I won't ruin the ending for you, by but I can assure you it is (very,very) sad, yet strangely beautiful. My other favorite story from the book was The Remarkable Rocket. It is a wonderful example of personification, as Wilde does an amazing job making a group of firecrackers seem real. In the story, a bunch of fireworks are chosen to be set off for an enormous celebration of the prince's wedding. The smaller firecrackers are happily visiting amongst themselves when a large firecracker arrives. He brags about himself, what a great noise he will make when he is shot off, etc. When the time comes for him to be shot into the air, things don't go as planned. What make this story so enjoyable is the attention to detail Wilde puts into all his stories. He does not use so many words that it seems like overkill, but he uses just enough so you can picture it in your mind's eye. Below is an animated video from YouTube that follows the story EXACTLY. We enjoyed it very much.
Image credit : http://www.wordcandy.net/files/2012-05-22-another-one-ill-be-skipping.jpg
Video credit:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NZ0-TrP06I
Emily as a child Emily Elizabeth Dickinson was born December 10, 1830 , and died on May 15, 1886. She was a poet, but if you asked anyone in her town, they'd admit that she had published a few pieces of poetry, certainly not many. No one knew she aspired to become a poet, for she hid nearly all of the brilliant poems she wrote. Emily lived in Amherst, Massachusetts, with her fairly successful family. After she attended the Amherst Academy for seven years as a child, she also went to Mount Holyoke Female Seminary before returning to her family's house in Amherst. Considered an eccentric by the townsfolk, she became known by her love for white clothing and her shyness; she never greeted guests, and in her later life, hardly even left her room. Most of her friendships were through writing letters, as she never went out of the house. This is one of my favorite poems by Emily Dickinson: I never saw a moor, I never saw the sea; Yet know I how the heather looks, And what a wave must be. I never spoke with God, Nor visited in heaven; Yet certain am I of the spot As if the chart were given. Pretty awesome, huh? I recommend reading as many of her poems as you can-they're really great!!!
(Picture Source is Wikipedia, other picture sources are http://uttyleruasc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/ford003.jpg andhttp://www.confederate.org/newsletter/2001news/bush.jpg)
So a few days ago, my mom took us to a historical home for a tour. It is called McClendon house because it was the home of Sarah McClendon. She was born July 8, 1910 and died January 8, 2003 at the age of 92. She was a White House reporter who covered politics for over 50 years. She started her own free-lance news service as before WWII, and was known as a model for women in the press and as a supporter of good wages and better care of American military veterans. Sarah was best known for her questions at presidential press conferences, which were often slightly rude or blunt. She once shook her pen at the then President Nixon and demanded "Why aren't you doing anything to help the veterans?"!!! She interviewed with presidents from Franklin Roosevelt all the way to Bill Clinton. After she left the house, her two spinister sisters lived there for many years they were recluses and let the home fall to ruin. After their death, a fire that would've ruined the home had it not been for it's good construction,made everyone realize what a great historic home was there. It was restored and you can tour it at this address: 806 W. Houston Street Tyler, TXP.S' Check out my friend Anners' amazing blog here. Be sure to comment and follow!
Well, I FINALLY got to watch Raiders of the Lost Ark, a.k.a ROTLA. Check out my other post on Indy here. BTW, I own none of these pics.
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It was... bedazzling.Amazing. Astounding! Perfect. Spectacular. Stunning! Just like the book. Okay, I loved it. No, I loveloveloved it! Basically, the story is: It's 1936. Hitler is rising to power- and he wants the Ark of the Covenant because he thinks it will make him powerful. After Indy returns home from his search for the Capochyan idol(love the boulder scene -see a clip here!),the American Government hires him,the famous archaeologist Dr. Jones, to find it before the Nazi's do- and to figure out what's going on. Can Indy triumph over the forces of evil? He heads to his old friend Abner Ravenwood, a collector of Ark-related artifacts, to find out. He tracks Abner down to a remote bar in Nepal, only to find Abner's dead, and his feisty, beautiful daughter Marion (who happens to be Indy's ex-girlfriend from when he was younger.) is stuck running the bar. She won't help Indy, and so he leaves. The Nazis arrive, start a fight, and nearly kill Marion but Indy heard the noise, returned, and saved her. You go, Indy! There's a big fight between Nazis/Indiana/Sherpas/Mongolians, but Indy and Marion win. Of course! :)Marion says she'll help Indy,so, they head to Egypt to meet his friend Sallah. They find the Nazis digging for the Ark, but realize they're digging in the wrong place. *Spoiler Alert* Marion is kidnapped by the Nazi's main man, Belloq. Indy thinks she's dead, but.. she's not! Indy finds the ark, only to have Belloq steal it from him and then Belloq locks Indy and Marion in the Well of Souls, were the Ark was. They escape from a snake filled chamber. After a bloody fight scene,(We fast forwarded a little of this scene), Indy sends Marion and Sallah off to get transportation to America and announces he's off to find the Ark. There is a spectacular fight between Indy and a bunch of Nazi vehicles! It was soo good! They eventually recover the Ark, and Indy and Marion get on a boat with it to head back to America. There is a long kissing scene we also fast forwarded. Suddenly, the Nazis take over the ship. Indy manages to escape but they take Marion. Indy rides atop their submarine to their secret island, where, after a failed attempt form Indy to stop, them, they open the Ark. Definitely fast forward this scene! The wrath of God destroys the Nazis rather graphically. Indy and Marion get the Ark and head home. Nowjust have to see Temple of Doom, Last Crusade, and Kingdom of the Crystal Skull!!! All in all, I give it 5 stars, although there were a few(4) bad words and the three objectionable scenes I mentioned. Other than that, I really enjoyed the movie! Thanks SOOO much to Dad for letting me and Christopher watch it! Christopher's Notes: "I liked the part where Marion hit the man with the frying pan and dragged him away. I also liked how when the airfield blew up, Belloq said "Jones!" My other favorite part was when the guy was being all scary with the sword and Indy calmly shot him.:) Thanks, Christopher! Now I leave you with this:
Belloq: How odd that it should end this way for us after so many stimulating encounters. I almost regret it. Where shall I find a new adversary so close to my own level? Indiana: Try the local sewer.
............................................................................................................... Marion: You're not the man I knew ten years ago. Indiana: It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage.
..................................................................................................................... Indiana: You want to talk to God? Let's go see him together, I've got nothing better to do.
.............................................................................................................. Sallah: Indy, why does the floor move? Indiana: Give me your torch. [Indy takes the torch and drops it in] Indiana: Snakes. Why'd it have to be snakes? Sallah: Asps... very dangerous. You go first.
........................................................................................................................... Indiana: The Ark of the Covenant, the chest that the Hebrews used to carry around the Ten Commandments. Major Eaton: What, you mean THE Ten Commandments? Indiana: Yes, the actual Ten Commandments, the original stone tablets that Moses brought down from Mt. Horeb and smashed, if you believe in that sort of thing... [the officers stare at him blankly] Indiana: Didn't any of you guys ever go to Sunday school?
...................................................................................................................... Indiana: Do we need the monkey? Marion: I'm surprised at you. Talking that way about our baby. He's got your looks, too. Indiana: And your brains.
........................................................................................................ Indiana:There's a big snake in the plane, Jock! Jock: Oh, that's just my pet Indiana: I hate snakes, Jock! I hate 'em! Jock: Come on! Show a little backbone, will ya?
Which one of these quotes is your fave? Comment and let me know! Bye for now! Thanks for reading!
Maybe you love Louisa May Alcott's books(Little Women, Little Men, Jo's Boy's, Under the Lilacs, Eight Cousins, Rose in Bloom, just to name a few.), but you don't know much about her. If so, read on!
Orchard House
Louisa was born in 1832 in Germantown, Pennsylvania, where her father, Bronson Alcott taught school. Her father and mother, Abigail, were transcendentalists, which meant they had different view than most people of their time. They were vegetarians, abolitionists, believed in taking ice cold baths and sleeping on hard mattresses. Bronson believed boys and girls, black and white, should be educated together. His ideas were considered so radical that people took their children out of his school, and it had to close. So, the family(Louisa, her older sister Anna, younger sisters, May and Elizabeth) moved to Boston. Once, while in Boston, six-year-old Louisa became lost. Instead of becoming scared, she laid her head down on a big, kind dog and fell asleep. Another interesting thing that happened to her while living in Boston was that she fell into a frog pond in Boston and nearly drowned, except a young African-American boy came running, leaped in and saved her life. Louisa speculated perhaps this is what caused her abolitionist beliefs.
After Bronson's job in Boston failed when he invited a black girl to his new school, the family moved to Orchard house in Concord, Massachusetts, where they would spend the rest of their lives. (You can tour Orchard House.) He took odd jobs here and there. Louisa said that despite their extreme poverty, times at Orchard House were the happiest times of my life. It is these times she based Little Women on.
The family had several notable neighbors- Emerson, Thoreau, and Hawthorne, to name a few. These were Louisa's mentors, and they inspired her writing.
As a teenager, she wrote"blood and thunder stories" under a pen name, earning a little money. Louisa always wanted to earn money for her poor family, but just as her writing began to get noticed, the Civil War broke out and she became a nurse. However, she contacted typhoid fever. During her illness, she wrote Hospital Sketches, about her life as a nurse. When she was asked to write a girl's book, she hesitated, saying she "never much liked girls, except my sisters." She wrote Little Women, which is loosely autobiographical, and it was a roaring success. Louisa never married, but she raised May's child Lulu, after May's death. She wrote until her own death at the age of 55 , from mercury poisoning. She contacted this from the medicine she was given when she had fever.
Louisa lives on in her many writings, which remain popular to this day.
Have you ever heard of a Harvey girl? Chances are, you probably haven't. So, I'm going to tell you about them.
The Harvey girls were girls between the ages of 18-30(although some lied about their age- a few were only 14!) who worked in railroad dining places known as Harvey Houses during the late 1800-1920's. they worked as waitresses and helped out in the kitchen or worked at the counters.The requirements for the jobs were very strict. No make up, gum, dating, smoking, drinking, or trading jobs. Fred Harvey wanted all his restaurants to serve good food and have good workers. "Service with a smile"= a Harvey girl was always supposed to be polite, even to the most irate customer. They went through months of training to learn how things like the 'cup code',(how to tell what drink someone wanted by the way the waitresses held the empty cup) how to memorize orders, and how to keep there uniform perfectly clean without wearing an apron. One angry manager was said to have tipped a table over as it was not set perfectly-one fork was out of place.
Some compared Harvey girl training to being in the army, but it was a highly sought-after job. It paid well, and although the managers were very strict, there was a chance of becoming a boss of your own Harvey House someday. Harvey Houses offered young women a chance to see the world and "leave the farm", which is why many took the jobs.
If you want to learn more about the Harvey girls, I suggest you read Harvey Girl, by Shelia Wood Foard. It's a fictional story, but all the historical details are accurate.
Princess Elizabeth is having a bad time of it. Her mother was beheaded, her sister Mary is out to get her, her father the king is dead, and there are hundreds of plots circling around her family. Her true love turns against her, and she loses her wealth.Oh yes, and she's imprisoned in the notorious Tower of London. Not to mention that she's being persecuted for her faith and her good friend Lady Jane Grey was just executed.
No one-even her most loyal supporters- expect Elizabeth to be able to rise out of all this and someday become Queen. Elizabeth herself has doubts. She witnesses first her brother Edward, then her friend Lady Jane Grey, then her sister Mary take the throne. She quietly watches all of them, learning what to do and what not to do if she ever becomes Queen.
The book follows Elizabeth from 14 to when she becomes queen, and I really enjoyed it. I especially liked that all the characters were real people. However, I didn't like that the book is rather descriptive in some places,(such as beheadings and fights) and all the royal families are trying to get rid of each other.
This book is an educational and enjoyable read. If you enjoy it, you can read the whole series! I give it an 8 out of 10.
Today I went to a cooking class led by Chef Jackson York of the Edom Bakery and Grill. I learned how to make 4 soups: Tomato-Basil, Chicken and Vegetable, Broccoli Cheese, and Cheeseburger soup, which Chef Jackson invented and had featured in Texas Monthly magazine. HE invented it because he used to work at a country club that always had leftover cheese. He experimented with different ideas and came up with cheeseburger soup! It's super yummy. You get a big sample of everything you learn how to make. The classes are held for 3 Mondays in July every year in the Moore Store, Ben Wheeler, Texas. This is Chef Jackson's Tomato Basil Soup Recipe:
-If a little too thin then boil for about
5-7 min.
until desired consistency,
Enjoy! Chef JacksonYork,
Executive Chef
After we went to cooking classes, we went to Ben Wheeler Library, and guess what? You get to check out 5 books-and you get to keep them. For forever. Isn't that nice?!! I thought it was great! Ben Wheeler has it's own website: check it out here: www.benwheelertx.com
So, I auditioned for and am going to be in The Wizard of Oz (the musical). It'll be my fourth play at this theater. I was Mrs. Beaver in Narnia, Tweedledee in Alice in Wonderland, and Maddie and a mean girl in the Best Christmas Pageant Ever. What part did I get? I'm a manicurist!! If you watch the video below, you'll see the manicurists. I'm also chorus. It should be really fun as the Wizard of Oz is my favorite movie. We've really been practicing a lot as we have a lot of songs to learn. I'm enjoyed learning all the songs but some of them are really hard. I bought some ruby slippers and have been wearing them to every rehearsal!
The manicurists from The Wizard of Oz.
I found this video on YouTube-it's from the movie.
I've been learning about Langston Hughes in my Reading workbook. Langston Hughes was born in 1902. He was one of the most famous African-American poets in the whole world. His mother and grandmother raised him in several places throughout his life. He was born in
Joplin, Missouri and spent most of his childhood in Lawrence, Kansas, being
raised by his grandmother. When she died, he moved to Lincoln, Illinois with his
mother, then went to high school in Cleveland, Ohio. After graduating, he spent some time in Mexico with his father, he attended Lincoln University in Pennsylvania. The rest of his life was spent in New
York. His poetry talks about African-Americans in America.Langston was very close to his mother and grandmother. He saw his college educated mother work as a maid and a waitress because of her color. Langston’s grandmother was very proud of heritage. She told Langston stories of his ancestors who were involved in politics and education. She also told Langston Bible stories and read passages from the Bible aloud to him His mom found a good job in Topeka, Kansas. She moved there with Langston. It was in this city that Langston discovered the library and its children’s section. He spent much time in the library, often to escape teasing from other kids at his school. When Langston was twelve his grandmother died. She told him to never feel sorry for himself even when things were difficult. So when the ticket seller at the movie- theater told him she would not sell a ticket to a "colored boy" he found the Opera House. He was able to see the books he'd read come to life on stage. He honored his grandmother’s memory by taking her advice and not feeling sorry for himself and letting his anger get the best of him. Langston Hughes wasn't just a poet, he was also a war corespondent during the Spanish-American War, and an author of several books and plays. He died in 1967. This is the poem that was in my reader:
This is Langston Hughes.
Mother to Son
By Langston Hughes
Well, son, I'll tell you:
Life for me ain't been no crystal stair.
It's had tacks in it,
And splinters,
And boards torn up,
And places with no carpet on the floor—
Bare.
But all the time
I'se been a-climbin' on,
And reachin' landin's,
And turnin' corners,
And sometimes goin' in the dark
Where there ain't been no light.
So, boy, don't you turn back.
Don't you set down on the steps.
'Cause you finds it's kinder hard.
Don't you fall now—
For I'se still goin', honey,
I'se still climbin',
And life for me ain't been no crystal stair.
-Langston Hughes
About the poem:
The poem is an expanded metaphor. That simply means that the metaphor expands throughout the poem. The metaphor is(can you guess?) life is a staircase!
Hannah Diamond is a young girl growing up in rural New York State in 1937. Bored and tired of writing 16 letters to her best-friend-who -moved-away-and -didn't-write-back, Hannah decides to get a pen pal. She draws a name from the big Pen Pal box on her teacher's desk. Hannah writes her new pen pal a long letter telling him all about her life. The boy writes back, too-two sentences. Any ordinary person would be discouraged, but not Hannah! She writes to her aunt, her grandmother,President Franklin Roosevelt, Eleanor Roosevelt,and Miss Missy, The President's Secretary.She also writes to a young hobo who stopped by her father's restaurant, and eventually even, Edward, her not-so boring pen pal who turns out to be a good friend and an interesting person. Hannah writes witty letters that are very amusing to read. Also, if you are interested in either of the Roosevelts, this is the book for you!This book teaches about the Great Depression, and is a good read.
I also enjoyed this book because I have several pen pals of my own.
(Inappropriate Content: Ms. Van Dam, the grocer's wife, yells a bad phrase, then tells Hannah she shouldn't have said it and says never say ugly words. However, Hannah gets mad at a bully on the bus and yells the bad word anyway.)
I like a lot of books, but some of the ones I've been reading are:
The Mysterious Benedict Society series : There are 5 books in this series(including a puzzle book), and my brother and I have collected/read all but the newest book. We can't wait to read it!
Do you love the Little House books but have read them all? Well, you can now read the adventures of Rose, Laura's daughter. They are the true story of Rose's childhood. If you are an avid Little House reader, see this link -there are lots of Little House books!
I am learning about the Sumerians. They were a group of people that descended from Ham, Noah's son. Until archaeologists discovered the land of Sumer in the 1800's, they didn't know that an educated people who had a writing system had lived as long ago as 2,500 B.C. (or even before!) Scholars who doubted the Bible didn't believe Moses wrote the first 5 books of the Old Testament- until they realized he lived after the Sumerians- so yes, he had a writing system. Never doubt the Bible! The main city archaeologists focus on is Ur. My textbook calls it the "Queen city of Sumer!"
In 2,100 B.C., Ur was one of the most powerful and wealthy cities in Sumer. A king named Ur-Nammu ruled it. He was the king of Sumer and Akkad. Akkad is an ancient name for an area of Mesopotamia. He built a ziggurat called the temple-tower. It contained businesses, temples, and it was dedicated to the "moon god" who, of course, wasn't real. The Sumerians planted trees and flowers inside the shrine at the top. They built an artificial forest for their imaginary gods. While everybody in Ur worshiped these false gods, their religion didn't change their behavior. They were still very sinful.
A British archaeologist named Sir Leonard Woolley discovered a tomb of a wealthy Sumerian, Lady Shub-ad. This gave insight to the Sumerian way of life, because many artifacts had been buried in the tomb also. Where the Sumerians intelligent? You decide: They invented the plow, a kind of wheel, envelopes, irrigation systems, a number system we use today, a calendar system, and libraries. They also invented a way to barter using barley, sewer systems,how to put fireplaces and fountains indoors, and much more. Around 2,000 B.C, Sumer was invaded by the Amorites. The rule of the Sumerians had come to an end.
By Laura Ashley “I have a dream today!”-Martin Luther King Jr.
Martin Luther King Jr. was born Michael King Jr. on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia. His father changed his name to Martin Luther after the German Protestant reformer. Martin, or M.L. as he was called, was a very bright child. He entered 1st grade at the age of 5. Martin first experienced prejudice when his white neighbors refused to let him play with their son, who had been Martin’s best friend. When Martin asked the boy why they couldn’t play together anymore, the boy told him it was because he was black. Martin never forgot that day.
M.L‘s father was a Baptist preacher, and he taught his three children Christine, Martin Luther, and A.D, to love God and obey him. Martin’s mother taught the children songs, and all 3 took piano lessons from a strict teacher. Their teacher would rap their knuckles if they made a mistake, so all of the children hated the piano. One night A.D snuck downstairs and tried to break the piano with a hammer! (It didn’t work. You can still see the piano when you tour Martin’s house.)
Martin entered college at the age of 15, having skipped the 9th and 12th grades. At first, he rebelled against his Christian teachings by drinking and partying, but after taking a Bible class he realized how wrong he’d been. While in college, he read a book on Gandhi and was inspired by his peaceful tactics. At the age of 19 he graduated. Deciding to become a minister, he entered Crozer Theological Seminary. After becoming a minister, he met Coretta Scott, whom he married. Martin joined the NAACP, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, but he didn’t become famous until 1955, when Rosa Parks, an African American seamstress, was told to give up her seat on a bus to a white man, as was the law. She refused, and was arrested. E.D. Nixon, a key founder of the NAACP, paid her $14 bail.
Outraged that Rosa had been arrested, Martin organized a peaceful bus boycott. It was simple-no one rode the buses! The bus company lost a lot of money. To trick the boycotters, they called the newspapers and told them a false story.”The boycott’s over!” they said. “Ride the buses!”But Martin and others found out about the trick and told people the true story-the boycott wasn’t over. Eventually, in 1956, the Supreme Court ruled that segregation on public buses wasn’t legal. The boycott was really over.
But many other places were still segregated. So Martin started peaceful protest marches and sit-ins. He was a good leader/speaker, and people listened to him. Martin was jailed 30 times, even though he’d done nothing wrong. Police brutally attacked marchers-even children. But Martin kept working for civil rights.
In 1966, he gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech at the March on Washington, which he led. Over 200,000 people attended. Martin was opposed to the Vietnam War. He felt that money spent on the war could’ve been spent on civil rights or helping poor people. Martin started a war on poverty. It was called the War on Poverty! He moved with his family to a Chicago slum and lived there for a few weeks to draw attention to the horrible living conditions there. He accomplished many great things.
Martin was assassinated by James Earl Ray on April 4, 1968, on a hotel balcony. Many influential people attended his funeral, including Robert Kennedy and future president Richard M. Nixon. Martin Luther King ended segregation. Now anyone can eat in any restaurant, can watch a movie in any theater, and drink from any water fountain. They can sit on any bus, and they can go to any park-all because of Martin Luther King, a man with a dream.
