People who made a difference: Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King

As you know South Africa had a system of racial segregation called apartheid, which means "separation". 
Under this system black people and white people had to live separate lives, in different neighbourhoods (= quartieri).

Racial segregation also existed in the USA.

This picture represents Martin Luther King and his daughter Yolanda. In the photo he was explaining to her that she couldn't go to "Funtown", an amusement park which was for whites only.

(...) One of the most painful experiences I have ever faced was to see her tears when I told her Funtown was closed to colored children, for I realized the first dark cloud of inferiority had floated into her little mental sky (...)


Watch the video and read the text "People who made a difference: Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King" and do the activities.

ex 1

a) They had to live separate lives from white Americans. They had to go to different school, hospitals and shops. They had to travel in a different section on public buses. Then, they couldn’t eat in the same restaurants as white Americans

b) When Rosa Parks refused to give her seat to a white man, the bus driver called the police and she was arrested. This was the beginning of the Montgomery Bus Boycott

c) The Montgomery Bus Boycott ended in 1956 when racial segregation on buses stopped.

d) Martin Luther King was an American church Minister. He was the leader of the Montgomery Bus Boycott and of the Civil Rights Movement in the US

e) Martin Luther King’s dream was freedom and equality for all Americans.

ex 2 

1956   Racial segregation on buses ended: this marked the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement in the US

1963   An important civil rights protest took place in Washington: Martin Luther King gave a very famous speech 

1964  Martin Luther King won the Nobel Peace Prize

1965  African Americans got the right to vote

1968  Martin Luther King was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee (in April)

        the American governement passed the Civil Rights Acts and finally African Americans had the same rghts as white Americans (in July)

Ex 3

Questions about Rosa Parks

1. When was Rosa Parks born ?

2. Who was Rosa Parks ?

3. Where was Rosa Parks when she was arrested ?

4. Why did police arrest Rosa Parks ?

5. Why was Rosa Parks arrested ?

6. When was Rosa Parks arrested ?

7. Where did Rosa Parks come from ?

8. Where did Rosa Parks live?

Questions about Martin Luther King

1. Who was Martin Luther King ?

2. What did Martin Luther King believe in ?

3. What did Martin Luther King organise to fight for the Civil Rights of black Americans ?

4. When did Martin Luther King give his famous speech « I have a dream » ?

5. Where did he deliver/give his famous speech ?

6. What did he win in 1964 ?

7. When did Martin Luther King win the Nobel Peace Prize?

8. When and where was Martin Luther King

assassinated ?

Martin Luther King gave his speech in Washington in 1963 and spoke to the people about his dream for the future: freedom and equality for all Americans.

 

Watch part of Martin Luther King's most famous speech 

"I have a dream"

In the following video you can find the Italian translation.

Watch the video and listen to Pride (In the name of love) by the Irish band U2. It's a tribute to Martin Luther King and those who preached (= predicato, promosso, sostenuto) non violence and equality for all the people.

 

(...) Early morning, April four
Shot rings out in the Memphis sky
Free at last, they took your life
They could not take your pride (...)

These lines refer to the day when Martin Luther King was assassinated in Memphis. 

"Free at last" is a reference to his speech I have a dream.

What's your dream?

1) Write your dreams for your school, your community, and the world!

2) Using crayons (= matite colorate) or markers (= pennarelli), decorate your clouds. 

3) Cut out the clouds

4) Attach three pieces of ribbon (= nastro) or yarn (= filato) (about 10 cm long) to the bottom of the large cloud (look for the small circles for reference) 

5) Attach the smaller clouds to the other end of each piece of ribbon