Beyond the Barbed Wire

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., born January 15, 1929, became the most well known leader of the modern civil rights movement. But the truth of King’s legacy is often whitewashed and sanitized. On his birthday, MLK Day and year round, use these resources to provide students with a more complete, radical context of King's fight for justice—and discuss how his work still creates ripples today.
In fall 2023, Charles Person, the youngest of the 13 original Freedom Riders, generously opened his home for a conversation with Learning for Justice. We are honored to share with you a video excerpt from that conversation wherein Person recounts parts of his story, imparts wisdom and offers suggestions for ways people can engage in justice movements.
This conversation is the first in a series of interviews with veterans of the Civil Rights Movement.