Our Friend, Martin
This past February, my girls and I watched the DVD Our Friend, Martin (thanks again to Christina for the heads up). In this movie, the main character, a black teenager named Miles, travels back in time and befriends a young Martin Luther King, Jr. The past and the present collide right up to the dramatic peak when our protagonist is faced with a decision that could alter the course of history. Our Friend, Martin weaves animation with black-and-white news footage and photography, including images of King’s funeral and those who mourned in the wake of his assassination. The film does not gloss over King’s murder, but protects its young audience by having the screen go dark after a shot rings out.
By going the “What would life be like today if it wasn’t for MLK?” route, the film pretty much gives MLK credit for the entire civil rights movement. But in the wake of a kid-friendly presentation that effectively introduces children to the concepts of nonviolence, justice, and equality, I can let that slide and embrace the teachable moment to discuss other individuals (Fannie Lou Hamer, for example) who also worked and sacrificed to hold America to its freedom-related promises.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
January 15, 1929 - April 4, 1968
