I Have A Dream - Virginia Repertory Theatre

S T U DY G U I D EI Have a DreamPhotograph of Leaders at the Head of the Civil RightsMarch on Washington, D.C., 8/28/1963National Archives and Records Administration, Identifier:542002I Have a DreamThe Life and Times of Dr. Martin LutherKing, Jr.by Bruce MillerI Have a Dream is presented insupport of History and SocialSciences’ learning standards forgrades 3 - 12.Additional Resources:The King Centerhttp://www.thekingcenter.org/The Library of Congress: America’sStory - Meet Amazing Americans:Martin Luther King, Jr.http://www.americaslibrary.gov/aa/king/aa king subj.htmlNational Archives and RecordsAdministration: Text of Martin LutherKing’s “I Have a Dream” Speech, peech.pdfVirginia Repertory Theatre is proud to present I Have aDream: The Life and Times of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.This compelling dramatization of the life and times of oneof the most influential and charismatic leaders of the“American Century” and the Civil Rights movement willNational Geographic Kids: MartinLuther King, ory/martin-luther-king-jr/inspire your students as they experience this great leader’sNational Park Service: Martin LutherKing, Jr. National Historic �� TheNobelprize.org (Biography of Dr. aureates/1964/king-bio.htmlbeginnings in Atlanta,struggle and his dream of lifting “our nation from thequicksand of racial injusticeto the solid rock ofplay traces Dr. King’sKnow Your Genre: Biographylife from his humbleA biography is an account ofsomeone’s life written by someoneelse.Georgia throughhis extraordinaryevolution into oneof the 20th century’sSometimes biographies are calleda “life story,” “life history,” or“memoir.”foremost figures.1 2015 Virginia Repertory Theatre, VirginiaRep.org

Analyzing Primary Sources:The Text of “I Have a Dream”A primary source is a document or object written or created during the time under study. Primary sourcesoffer an inside view from the context of a particular time in history. Primary sources can be documents suchas diaries, speeches, letters, or interviews. They can be photographs, or music. They can also be artifactssuch as pottery, clothing, or paintings.During the August 28, 1963 March on Washington, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered a speech on the stepsof the Lincoln Memorial that became known as the “I Have a Dream” speech. Studying the text of thespeech, a primary source document, provides us insight into the goals of the marchers, the emotions of thatday, and into the social climate that precipitated Dr. King’s ideas as expressed in the speech.Excerpt from “I Have a Dream”Leaders of the march posing in front of the statue ofAbraham Lincoln, Lincoln Memorial, Washington DC,08/28/1963. National Archives and Records Administration.On a separate sheet of paper, answer the following:1. Dr. King says that his dream “is a dream deeplyrooted in the American dream.” What is the “American dream,” and what do you think Dr. King meansby this statement?I say to you today, my friends, so even though we facethe difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have adream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the Americandream. I have a dream that one day this nation will riseup and live out the true meaning of its creed, “We holdthese truths to be self-evident, that all men are createdequal.” I have a dream that one day on the red hills ofGeorgia, sons of former slaves and the sons of formerslaveowners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day eventhe state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat ofinjustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will betransformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I havea dream that my four little children will one day live ina nation where they will not be judged by the color oftheir skin but by the content of their character.2. Dr. King uses Mississippi as an example of “astate sweltering with the heat of injustice, swelteringwith the heat of oppression.” What injustices andoppression were occurring in Mississippi (and otherplaces) at this time in history?Extension - Primary Sources PinnedTake the virtual History Pin tour entitled “TheMarch on Washington” to see powerful imagesfrom the march pinned to a map and displayed uponthe backdrop of those historic places today.3. In your opinion, has Dr. King’s dream come true?Why or why not?Access the tour. (https://www.historypin.4. Read Dr. King’s full speech at t/i-have-adream-speech/. What do you think he means whenhe says, in paragraph 7, “We cannot walk /The%2520March%2520on%2520Washington/)2 2015 Virginia Repertory Theatre, VirginiaRep.org

Social Change through Nonviolence“Nonviolence is a powerful and just weapon, which cuts without wounding andennobles the man who wields it. It is a sword that heals.”- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.Dr. King and his followers used several methods to bring about social change, including those found below.The underpinnings of all these methods was a philosophy of nonviolence. Draw lines to match each methodbelow with its definition. Then using social studies resources and the internet, find an example of each nonviolentmethod, and record it. This can be done individually, in small groups, or as a whole tionsit-inProcess ofdiscussing,compromising,and bargainingin good faithto secure aresolution to aconflict.The actof openlydisobeying anunjust law, andaccepting theconsequences,to protest aninjustice.Tactic in whichprotesterssit down atthe site of aninjustice andrefuse to movefor a specifiedperiod of timeor until goals areachieved.Withdrawal ofsupport froma company,governmentor institutioncommittingan injustice,such as racialdiscrimination.Gatherings andprotest activitiesorganized tobuild support forpeace, justice orsocial ension: Mahatma Gandhi served as an inspiration to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As a pioneer of resistancethrough mass nonviolent civil disobedience, Gandhi became one of the major political and spiritual leaders ofhis time. Dr. King said “Gandhi was the guiding light of our technique for nonviolent social change.” Researchthree ways that Gandhi enacted social change in India.3 2015 Virginia Repertory Theatre, VirginiaRep.org

Timeline of the Civil Rights MovementThe following events were pivotal in the Civil Rights Movement in America. Use research tools toput them in order on the timeline below:Martin Luther King, Jr. AssassinatedIntegration of the US MilitaryBrown vs. Board of EducationBirmingham Church BombingVoting Rights Act Era of Massive ResistanceMontgomery Bus Boycott Civil Rights Act“I Have a Dream” SpeechMarch on Washington1940 1945 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970Martin Luther King, Jr. was influenced by the teachings of several other prominent men. Readthe quotes below, and match the quote with the appropriate name.“Live your beliefs and you can turn the world around.”Frederick Douglass“You are not judged by the height you have risen,but from the depth you have climbed.”W.E.B. DuBois“There is in this world no such force as the force of aMartin Luther King, Jr.person determined to rise.”“When it (violence) appears to do good, the good isMahatma Gandhionly temporary; the evil it does is permanent.”“We must forever conduct our struggle on the highHenry David Thoreauplane of dignity and discipline.”Did you know? The name on Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birth certificate is Michael Luther King. Martin’s father wanted to namehis son after himself, but Martin’s father went by the nickname of “Mike” (even though his name was Martin). So Martin LutherKing, Jr. ended up with “Michael” on his birth certificate by mistake! It was later changed to Martin.4 2015 Virginia Repertory Theatre, VirginiaRep.org

Behind the CurtainsVirginia Repertory Theatre114 W. Broad St.Richmond, Virginia 23220virginiarep.org(804) 282-2620contact@virginiarep.orgVirginia Repertory TheatrePresents.Many people with different skills and talents work togetherto make a production such as I Have a Dream come to life.Can you match these theater jobs with their descriptions?set designera person who plays a role orcharacter in stage plays, motionpictures, television broadcasts, etc.playwrighta person who creates the lookof each character by designingclothes and accessories the actorswill wear in performance.stage managerthis person’s job is to pull togetherall the pieces and parts of a play– the script, actors, set, costumes,lighting and sound, and music tocreate a production.actorthis job focuses on using light tocreate effects that match themood of various scenes in aperformance.costume designerthis person is a writer of scripts forplays. The script tells a story throughthe actions and words of thecharacters.lighting designerthis person creates the physicalsurroundings of a play, includingany scenery, furniture, or propsused throughout the play.directorthis person helps the directorand helps organize the actors,designers, stage crew, andtechnicians throughout theproduction of a play.I Have a Dreamby Bruce MillerVirginia Repertory TheatreBruce C. Miller, Artistic DirectorPhil Whiteway, Managing DirectorThis study guide and the text containedtherein are the property of VirginiaRepertory Theatre. Photocopying of thestudy guide is permitted. Any other useof the contents must be accompaniedby the phrase, “Text used with permissionfrom Virginia Repertory Theatre,Richmond, VA.” Virginia Repertory Theatre, 2015Theater EtiquetteClap, but know when to do so.You should clap after a play, act, orsong, or right before intermission. Ifyou loved the show, you can give a“standing ovation” at the end. That’swhen you stand up while applauding.It’s quiet time (sort of).If the play makes you laugh or cry,that is fine, but you can chat with yourfriends afterwards. Be respectful andquiet so the actors can focus on theirroles. Being quiet allows the rest of theaudience to concentrate on the play.5 2015 Virginia Repertory Theatre, VirginiaRep.org

dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” I have a dream that one day on the red hills of File Size: 1013KBPage Count: 5