Martin Luther King, Jr.

15 Meaningful Martin Luther King, Jr. Activities  (Y, M, O, T)
These MLK activity ideas encourage students to think outside of the box and learn about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s philosophies through experience.

Albany Movement  (Y,M)
The Albany Movement was the first mass movement during the Civil Rights Era. Though largely considered a failure, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s participation in it was a defining moment for him and the movement. From the NewGeorgiaEncyclopedia.org, a resource from the state of Georgia.

Americans' Views on MLK through Time  (M, O, T)
A look at Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s historic favorability polls and how they've changed over time. From Gallup Polls.

“King: A Filmed Record” (Film)  (M, O)
“King: A Filmed Record…Montgomery to Memphis” is a documentary that follows Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement utilizing original newsreel footage and original videos of marches, rallies and church services.

Birmingham Civil Rights Institute  (Y,M,O,T)
The website of the Birmingham Civil Rights Museum includes a virtual tour of the museum as well as teacher resources.

Civil Disobedience: Thoreau, Gandhi, and MLK  (M, O, T)
Central to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s methods of nonviolent protest were acts of civil disobedience, a philosophy he shared with Mahatma Gandhi and learned from Henry David Thoreau. The Bill of Rights Institute offers documents and insights into the three men.

I Have A Dream Speech (TEXT)   (Y,M,O,T)
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have A Dream" speech was recited on August 28, 1963 during the March on Washington. This resource from The Huffington Post includes the full text of the speech, as well as a link to a video.

Martin Luther King Day Printables  (Y, M, T)
Thought Co. offers a collection of MLK Day printables and worksheets, including word searches, crossword puzzles, coloring pages, and more.

Martin Luther King Jr. Photos  (M,O,T)
These historical photo essays from Life.com document moments from MLK's life, as well as the Civil Rights Movement.

Martin Luther King, Jr.  (M,O)
A brief biography of MLK for students from Pintera.com.

Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Power of Nonviolence  (O)
"This lesson introduces students to the philosophy of nonviolence and the teachings of Mohandas K. Gandhi that influenced Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s views. After considering the political impact of this philosophy and viewing videos about each man, including Dr. King discussing Gandhi's influence, students explore its relevance to personal life and contemporary society."

Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Park  (Y,M,O,T)
The Birth Home of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Visitors are allowed only with a park ranger led tour. The tours are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. The website offers historical information about Martin Luther King, Jr. for those who cannot visit in person.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Quotes  (Y,M)
A collection of famous MLK quotes from BrainyQuote.com.

Martin Luther King's Poor People’s Campaign  (M, O, T)
The American Friends Service Committee, a Quaker organization, was one of the principal endorsers of MLK's Poor People's Campaign. The organization has maintained a collection of primary sources related to the campaign.

MLK and Circumstances Leading to the Civil Rights Movement  (M,O)
This EconEd lesson plan tracks economic, demographic, and other changes from the 1800s to 1950s, leading up to the Civil Rights Movement. It includes a lot of statistics and links to primary sources that will make a study of MLK, Jr. more interesting for your older students.

MLK Jr. Study Guide  (M,O)
Designed as a companion to the Seattle Times MLK Jr. website. The guide includes questions for group discussions or a written essay.

MLK Photographic Timeline for Kids  (Y)
This brief, photographic timeline from National Geographic Kids is a great way to introduce younger students to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It contains a large number of photos from notable dates in MLK's life.

MLK Resources for Kids  (Y)
A large collection of resources from EnchantedLearning.com. It includes a brief history, timeline, printable coloring pages and worksheets, and activities for students grades 2-3.

MLK Teaching Ideas, Lesson Plans, Printables, Activities  (T)
A large selection of resources on Martin Luther King, Jr. including lesson plans, wordsearches, printables, reading recommendations, and more. From AtoZTeacherStuff.com

MLK, Jr. Lesson Plans & Teacher Guides  (Y,M)
The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Legacy of Racial and Social Justice: A Curriculum for Empowerment is a teacher's resource guide that provides activities for students in kindergarten through eighth grade

Racial Justice Coloring Page Downloads  (Y, M)
The featured Black historical figures include Malcolm X, Ella Baker, Bayard Rustin, Fannie Lou Hamer, and Harriet Tubman. Two activity pages are provided for each individual featured (one for research and writing, and one for coloring/art).

StoryCorps: MLK Collection (Audio)  (M, O)
StoryCorps, a nonprofit oral history organization, features a collection of audio-recorded stories, interviews, and conversations with those who lived through the Civil Rights Movement and were influenced by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Teaching King Beyond "I have a dream."  (O, T)
A collection of teacher resources and activities from CivilRightsTeaching.org that focus on lesser-known aspects of MLK history, including a look at King's speeches, documentaries, and FBI documents.

Teaching MLK’s Life—The Man, Not the Myth  (T)
This article from the Atlantic challenges teachers to go beyond the textbook-version of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by delving into little-taught parts of history and carefully examining primary sources.

Teaching Tolerance: Martin Luther King, Jr. Teacher Resources  (Y, M, O, T)
Teaching Tolerance offers a large collection of teacher resources, lesson plans, and activities for learning about MLK.

Teaching Tolerance: The Best of Our Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Resources  (Y, M, O, T)
Teaching Tolerance offers hundreds of resources for teaching MLK. If the exhaustive list is overwhelming, this Top Resources list will help you get started.

The King Center  (Y,M,O,T)
The King Center was created in 1968 by Coretta Scott King. It is the official, living memorial dedicated to the nonviolent movement for justice, equality, and peace begun by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The King Philosophy  (Y,M,O,T)
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s philosophy on nonviolence and social change. From The King Center, also known as The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change.

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute  (Y,M,O,T)
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute has a wealth of resources to start any MLK lesson plans. The site offers encyclopedic information, primary sources, secondary sources, lesson plans, and online events (including documentaries).

What If Martin Luther King Hadn't Been Killed?  (M, O, T)
This informative article from History.com takes a look at at the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in his later years, before he was assassinated.

Zinn Education Project: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Resources  (M, O, T)
The Zinn Education Project offers some lesser-taught resources for learning about Martin Luther King, Jr. including books, articles, films, and teaching activities.