Have you
ever asked yourself, “Who are the leaders of the future?” I recently stumbled upon a book published in
1998, Dear Dr. King: Letters from Today’s Children to Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr. Eighteen years ago,
children—black and white—wrote letters to Dr. King expressing thanks, posing questions
and describing their struggles to understand racism as it was playing out for
them in Memphis, Tennessee, where Dr. King’s life was cut short 30 years prior.
“As we
laughed and cried over the letters, it was the conviction we heard in the
children’s voices that moved us most,” editors Jan Colbert and Ann McMillan
Harms noted. “It is these children who will grow up to be the generation to
transform all of Dr. King’s dreams into reality.”
I can’t help wondering:
▪ how have the
perspectives of these children, now adults, developed in the 18 years since
they wrote their letters?
▪ If they wrote
a letter to Dr. King today, what might they say?
It is more
than coincidence that I stumbled upon this book as I was gathering material for
a blog post titled Letters from Leaders
. . . espousing the wisdom of past, notable leaders.
It would be
remiss to acknowledge today’s children as tomorrow’s leaders without recognizing
the racial divide that continues to prevail.
Will the next 18 years, unlike the past 18, produce a generation of leaders
that will eradicate racism?
Yes, the “conviction”
can still be heard clearly in those letters from 18 years ago. Where did we go wrong?
Dear Dr. King,
I want to know if there is a reason for violence. Because if there is, I want to know. Your friend, Andrew (Age 8)
Dear Dr. King,
My dad said he saw you when you said “I have a Dream.” I wish I could have seen you say that. Sleep in peace, Dr. King. Your friend, Tarrell, (Age 11)
Dear Dr. King,
I love you because you made the world better because the White and Black people
couldn’t be friends and play and you made it so they can play together
always. I want to ask you, are there
Black and White angels in heaven? I
think they play together, too. Love,
Morgan (Age 6)
Dear Dr. King,
Though I am white, sometimes I picture myself in a nine-year-old black girl’s
shoes. Your kindness touched my heart.
Sincerely, Hannah, (Age 9)
Dear Dr. King,
Things have changed a lot since you were alive.
Blacks and whites can share everything now. If not, I wouldn’t be born. Sincerely, Jillian (Age 9)
Dear Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,
Did you like being a peace-maker? I will
always remember how you made peace in this country, and I will tell my
children. Sincerely, Evan, (Age 8)
Dear Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,
Rebecca is my friend. She is White. But all my classmates make fun of her and it
makes her cry inside and it makes her mad inside. Stephanie and I cheer her up. So Dr. King, I wish you could make the bad
kids act better. Your friend, Yolanda
(Age 9)
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Published on LinkedIn 4/21/16
