Place to Land: Martin Luther King Jr. and the Speech That Inspired a Nation
Author: Barry Wittenstein
Illustrator: Jerry Pinkney
On the night before the 1963 March on Washington, Martin Luther King Jr sits down to write his speech. Only he doesn’t know what to say. He calls upon some of his closest friends and advisers. They tell him their ideas, but in the end, Martin Luther King Jr retreats to his room to write and rewrite.
To find the perfect words and the perfect speech. But he only finds the words that will inspire a nation to rise up and demand equality when gospel singer, Mahalia Jackson, shouts out during his speech, “Tell them about the dream, Martin!” And then Martin tells the world, “I have a dream.” Your young readers will be inspired as they discover the story behind one of the most famous speeches in history and how inspiration can come from anywhere and anyone.