Talking about Martin and Barack

My son Ian was just shy of two years old when Barack Obama was elected to his first term as President of the United States. We had indulged in a parental delight that fall by teaching him to chant "O-ba-ma!" in his little toddler voice, and I cried on the morning after the election when I pulled Ian from his crib and happily whispered into his sleepy ear that Obama had won. His victory was my son's victory, and we have often talked of our President these last four years.

This Monday, witnessing Obama's 2nd inauguration on Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday, Ian and I cuddled together and had an open discussion about the two men we were celebrating. At six years old, he is curious about these men that we uphold in our home as role models. We read a couple of picture books that I keep on the shelf for days like this one that really facilitated the discussion. I may have mentioned them before, but they are beautiful resources.

The first is The Beatitudes: From Slavery to Civil Rights by Carole Boston Weatherford. This interpretation of the Bible passage from Matthew traces God's presence with African Americans in the holds of the slave ships through the struggles and successes of emancipation and civil rights, up to the inuaguration of our first black President. I use this introduction to our nation's difficult history because God's presence on these pages through time remind my son that God also created him as a treasured child who will never be alone, never without God or his family, when he faces injustice or prejudice.

The other book is called Our Children Can Soar: A Celebration of Rosa, Barack and the Pioneers of Change by Michelle Cook. This book names the breakthroughs of African American heroes in civil rights, sports, politics, entertainment, and industry who built upon each other's changes to create a union in which Barack Obama becomes president. Ian's favorite page was about Thurgood Marshall, so we talked about justice. The idea of a world where everyone is treated fairly, where the rules are fair for all, resonates with a six year old.

Our discussion meandered from the books to God to Ethiopia to school to our family until we finally settled down to watch part of Martin Luther King's most famous speech. We spent a solid hour exploring these topics, and my favorite moment came when I started a mantra we repeat quite often, when I said, "You know how in our family our skins are different colors..." and he finished, "But in our hearts we are the same."

I want my son to be empowered by the journeys of Martin, Barack, Thurgood, Rosa. I know that he will do great things in the world. Not because of the color of his skin, but because of what lies in his precious heart.