Martin Luther King Day (Intermediate)

Национальный праздник День Мартина Лютера Кинга (Martin Luther King Day) , посвященный жизни и идеалам чернокожего священника и борца за гражданские права афроамериканцев, отмечает вся Америка в третий январский понедельник.

В день рождения борца против расовой дискриминации все каналы телевидения демонстрируют кадры выступлений Кинга, проводятся мемориальные службы в память о нем.

Знаете ли вы, что Мартин Лютер Кинг стал вторым американцем после Джорджа Вашингтона, чей день рождения отмечается в стране как национальный праздник?

Warm up activity

Have you ever heard about this holiday?

Do you know how people celebrate it in the USA?

Reading

Lots of spectators hold portraits of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the annual Kingdom Day Parade which is held throughout the US

Read an article and find out interesting facts about birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.

On the third Monday of January, America celebrates a national holiday — the Day of Martin Luther King (Martin Luther King Day), the festival dedicated to the life and ideals of this black civil rights activist.

In 1957 he was elected the President of the Conference of South Christian Leadership. For 11 years, King has traveled over seven million miles, giving a speech more than 2,500 times, constantly finding himself in places of protests, actions and fight against injustice. However, he managed to write five books and a large number of articles.

King’s role in nonviolent struggle for the enactment of the law, to destroy the remnants of racial discrimination, was awarded the Nobel prize in 1964. So at the age of 35 he became the youngest winner in the history of the Nobel peace prize.

The world has recognized the intrinsic value of the contribution of Martin Luther King in the struggle for peace. But only 15 years after his death, in 1983, the U.S. Congress recognized the constitutional importance of his legacy, declaring the third Monday of January a national holiday in honor of the birthday of Martin Luther King. For the first time the American nation of several states celebrated it on the 20th January 1986, and in all States in the US a holiday became national in 2000.

This is a day off in schools, offices, post offices and banks. All TV channels broadcast clips of King’s speeches of 1960-ies. The statements of the leaders of the movement for equal civil rights were heard from the radios. In the preceding Sunday in churches short sermons are read. On Monday memorial services and refined ceremonies are held reminding of King's life which was dedicated to the struggle for peace.

Answer the questions:

What did Martin Luther King fight against while travelling?

What was he awarded the Nobel prize for in 1964?

When did a holiday became national?

Listening

Watch the videos on Martin Luther King Day

Learn American Holidays - Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr: Biography

Discuss the following:

Do you know any other leader who would fight for equal civil rights?

Struggle for peace - what does it mean to you?