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I Had a Dream...

By: Megan Gibiser

     It was a cold Sunday night in January.   I was excited because my teacher 

said tomorrow was a special holiday, and we would   have off from school.  

When my Mom came to tuck me into bed, I asked her what holiday we were 

celebrating. 

          “Tomorrow we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday,” she

           explained.  

          “Who is that?” I replied. 

          “He was an African American leader who wanted all people of    

           different skin colors to be treated fairly.”  

          “Why weren’t they treated fairly? ”I asked. 

          “Well, our country was very different 50 years ago.   Now get some  

            rest Grace" said my mom.

As my head filled with thoughts 

and questions, I drifted off into a 

deep sleep.

When I awoke, I found myself in a schoolyard surrounded by a group of African 

American children   just a little older than myself.      

     "Where am I?" I asked one of the boys.

     "This is Yonge Street Elementary School in Atlanta, Georgia.   My name

      is   Martin Luther King Jr.   What's yours?" he asked.

     "I'm Grace," I answered.  

As I looked around, I noticed that all of the students at Yonge Street Elementary  

had dark skin like me.   I asked Martin why there were no white students at his 

school.

     "Here in the south, black and white students have to go to different

      schools and even drink from different water fountains.   We are not

      allowed in certain stores and restaurants and have to sit in the back

      of   the bus while the white people sit in the front,"   Martin explained.

      "Why are the rules so unfair?" I questioned.

      "That's just the way things are around here, but I know that one day 

          change will come."

Suddenly the school bell rang and my new friend disappeared.

      The next thing I knew, I was sitting at the front of a bus, next to a familiar 

looking African American man.   “Hello again Grace”, he said.   It was my friend 

Martin Luther King Jr, who was now all grown up.  

        “Now where are we?" I asked him.

        "It is 1957 and we are in Montgomery, Alabama."

         "Martin, I thought you said black people had to sit in the back of the 

          bus."   

         “They did, but last year a brave woman named Rosa Parks was

         arrested because she refused to give up her seat on the bus to a

         white man.   So, I led a boycott, and told people to stop riding the

         buses in Montgomery. All African Americans drove cars or

         walked wherever they had to go for an entire year.   Eventually the 

         courts realized the law was unfair and decided to change it.”  

          "So blacks and whites are equal now? I asked.  

          "No, we are still far from equal, but I know that one day change

           will come," he said.

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