It is the beginning of January and that means we are only a few days away from celebrating the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King. And, of course, next month we will continue in a similar way with the celebration of Black History Month and the chance to look at all the wonderful accomplishments of African Americans.

Here is a brief look at some of the people whose lives seem to resonate with children, and whom you might want to look at with your students.

Bessie Coleman – First African American female pilot.

Jackie Robinson – First African American baseball player admitted to Major League Baseball

Rosa Parks – Civil Rights Activist

Madam C.J. Walker – Entrepreneur

Martin Luther King – Civil Rights Activist

Frederick Douglass – Free Black leader in Civil War era and friend of Abraham Lincoln.

Of course, this list is just a suggested beginning. The list of the accomplishments of African Americans is long and ever growing, and the individuals on that list are many and varied.

One great way to incorporate these events into your calendar is to schedule a visit from an educational assembly program featuring one or more of these great individuals impersonated by an experienced and entertaining actor. We have several of these programs available, including shows about Martin Luther King and Frederick Douglass, as well as a wonderful show featuring many different African American women (The Spirit to Overcome).

If you have not made plans for how you will explore Black History Month this year, and are looking for ideas, give us a call. We may be able to help!