Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Guide

Passport
TO CULTURE
Teacher’s Resource Guide
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The Rev.
Dr. Martin
Luther King,
Jr. Celebration
Generous support for
Schooltime provided,
in part, by
obitservice.com
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Major support for the performances
has been provided by PSE&G.
Arts Education and You
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The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) Arts Education Department presents the
14th season of the Verizon Passport to Culture SchoolTime Performance Series.
With Passport to Culture, Verizon and NJPAC open up a world of culture to you and
your students, offering the best in live performance from a wide diversity of traditions
and disciplines. At NJPAC’s state-of-the-art facility in Newark, with support from
Verizon, the SchoolTime Performance Series enriches the lives of New Jersey’s students
and teachers by inviting them to see, feel, and hear the joy of artistic expression. The
exciting roster of productions features outstanding New Jersey companies as well as
performers of national and international renown. Meet-the-artist sessions and NJPAC
tours are available to expand the arts adventure.
The Verizon Passport to Culture SchoolTime Performance Series is one of many current
arts education offerings at NJPAC. Others include:
• Professional Development Workshops that support the use of the arts
to enhance classroom curriculum
• Arts Academy school residency programs in dance, theater and literature,
and Early Learning Through the Arts—the NJ Wolf Trap Program
• After-school residencies with United Way agencies
Foundation
Kid Power!
Through energy efficiency and
conservation, kids can help preserve
our planet’s rich natural resources
and promote a healthy environment.
In association with statewide arts organizations, educational institutions, and generous
funders, the Arts Education Department sponsors the following arts training programs:
• Wachovia Jazz for Teens
• The All-State Concerts
• The Star-Ledger Scholarship for the Performing Arts
• The Jeffery Carollo Music Scholarship
• Summer Youth Performance Workshop
• Young Artist Institute
• NJPAC/New Jersey Youth Theater Summer Musical Program
Tip of the Day
The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once
said, “The time is always right to do the
right thing.” Dr. King was referring to the
need for unity and peace among all people,
but his words can also be applied to the
need to protect our planet Earth. Now is
the time for everyone to “go green” for the
safety and benefit of the environment. There
are so many actions you can take. For
example, you can help slow global warming
by walking, riding your bicycle or taking
the bus instead of always going by car. You
can also reduce, reuse or recycle all kinds of
items—from soda cans to clothes and from
plastic bags to newspapers—to save energy
and raw materials.
Students have the opportunity to audition for admission to NJPAC’s arts training
programs during NJPAC’s annual Young Artist Talent Search.
Detailed information on these programs is available online at njpac.org. Click on
Education. The Teacher’s Resource Guide and additional activities and resources for
each production in the Verizon Passport to Culture SchoolTime Series are also online.
Click on Education, then on Performances. Scroll down to “Download Teacher Guide
in Adobe Acrobat PDF format” and select desired guide.
Made possible through the generosity of
the PSEG Foundation.
Permission is granted to copy this Teacher’s Resource Guide for classes attending
the 2010-2011 Verizon Passport to Culture SchoolTime Performance Series. All
other rights reserved.
CONTENTS
On Stage
3
In the Spotlight
4
Music Talk
5
Martin Luther King, Jr.
and the Struggle for Civil Rights
6
Before and After Activities
7
Teaching Science
Through Theater
7
Delving Deeper
8
2
To Teachers and Parents
The resource guide accompanying each performance is designed
• to maximize students’ enjoyment and appreciation of the performing arts;
• to extend the impact of the performance by providing discussion ideas,
activities, and further reading that promote learning across the curriculum;
• to promote arts literacy by expanding students’ knowledge of music, dance,
and theater;
• to illustrate that the arts are a legacy reflecting the traditional values,
customs, beliefs, expressions, and reflections of a culture;
• to use the arts to teach about the cultures of other people and to celebrate
students’ own heritage through self-expression;
• to reinforce the New Jersey Department of Education’s Core Curriculum Content Standards in the arts.
Passport to Culture • The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration
Photo: Léon Gniwesch
On Stage
Shirley Caesar
The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King,
Jr. Celebration is NJPAC’s annual
tribute to the civil rights leader who
gave his life so that others could have
the freedom, justice and equality
guaranteed to them in the Constitution
of the United States of America. This
commemorative program recalls past
intolerance but also seeks to inspire
the whole community toward a better
future where all people will be judged
“not by the color of their skin but by
the content of their character.”
NJPAC’s 2011 homage to Dr. King
features the “First Lady of Gospel,”
Shirley Caesar, a multi-award winning
gospel singer, songwriter and recording
artist who epitomizes the essence
of inspiration and vitality. She will
perform selections such as “How Many
Will Be Remembered,” her rousing
salute to the unsung heroes of the
armed forces who perished serving their
country, the passionate “Jesus, I Love
Calling Your Name” and the powerful,
soul-stirring affirmations of life and
hope such as “You Can Make It” and
“You’re Next in Line for a Miracle.”
Suffused with life, love, belief, and good
will, the gospel music offered by Shirley
Caesar underscores Dr. King’s dream of
healing, hope, unity, and peace.
The Arts Center’s 2010 homage to
Dr. King also features Shavar D.
Jeffries, a civil rights lawyer at Seton
Hall Law Center for Social Justice. At
both the SchoolTime and FamilyTime
performances, Professor Jeffries will
address the legacy, philosophy and
accomplishments of Dr. King and their
importance for America and Americans.
Passport to Culture • The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration
3
In the Spotlight
Shirley Ann Caesar, known as “First
Lady of Gospel,” is an American
gospel music singer, songwriter and
recording artist whose career has
spanned six decades. Raised in Durham,
North Carolina, Caesar grew up in an
environment of obstacles. Segregation,
the death of her father when she was
eight years old and caring for a semiinvalid mother made for a less than
ideal upbringing for this budding star,
but she accepted the challenges with her
head held high.
Caesar, who started singing as a young
girl in church, began her professional
singing career as a member of the
Caravans, the leading female gospel
group of the 1960s. Since then, she
has released more than 40 albums
that explore her musical gift as well
as spread messages of faith. She has
participated in over 16 compilations and
three gospel musicals, Mama: I Want to
Sing; Sing, Mama
2; and Born to
Sing: Mama 3.
Her credits also include a series of
commercials and numerous awards for
her recordings including 11 Grammy
Awards, 13 Stellar Awards, 18 Doves,
three Recording Industry Association
of America Gold Circle Certifications,
an Essence Award, McDonald’s Golden
Circle Lifetime Achievement Award, an
NAACP Achievement Award, a SESAC
Lifetime Achievement Award, and
induction into the Gospel Music Hall of
Fame.
Caesar has made several notable
appearances including the televised Live
from Disney World Night of Joy, the
Gospel According to VH1 and White
House performances for Presidents
Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, George W.
Bush, and George Bush. She also spoke
on the Evolution of Gospel Music before
the U.S. Treasury Department.
Caesar pastors The Mount Calvary
Word of Faith Church in Raleigh,
North Carolina. She is president of the
Shirley Caesar Outreach Ministries,
an organization created to provide
assistance to those in the community
who find themselves in emergency
situations, and has committed a sizeable
portion of all her concert proceeds to
this endeavor.
Pastor Caesar graduated magna cum
laude from Shaw University in Raleigh,
North Carolina with a B.S. in
Marketing and has been granted
several honorary degrees from
other educational institutions.
Shavar D. Jeffries (Speaker)
is an Associate Professor
of Law at Seton Hall Law
Center for Social Justice.
His work on impact
civil-rights scholarship,
advocacy and litigation
at the center focuses on
education and housing
inequities affecting
urban communities.
Shirley Caesar
4
Jeffries grew up in the South Ward of
Newark, New Jersey. He grew up like
many youngsters in Newark grow up,
as the child of teenage parents who
were not ready to handle the daunting
responsibilities of parenthood. For most
of the first eight years of his life, he
lived primarily with his grandparents in
Newark as well as a short period with
an aunt. He also lived with his mother
for a short period until her untimely
death, when Shavar was 10. His
father then assumed his care for a few
months, but Shavar came home one day
to find his father had abandoned him
without even leaving a note. Shavar,
then age 11, moved back to Newark’s
South Ward to live with his maternal
grandmother. Shavar’s grandmother sent him to the
Newark Boys & Girls Clubs which
two years later would provide Shavar
with a scholarship to attend Seton
Hall Preparatory School in West
Orange, New Jersey. This educational
opportunity gave Shavar a chance
that virtually none in his South Ward
neighborhood had—the chance to fully
develop his intellectual, ethical and
emotional gifts. Shavar excelled at
Seton Hall Prep, graduating with honors
in the top five percent of his class. He
then graduated from Duke University,
receiving a variety of academic and
leadership honors including being
selected by the Duke student body to be
its representative on Duke University’s
Board of Trustees. From there, Shavar
went on to Columbia Law School,
where he again graduated with a
range of academic and public-interest
advocacy honors.
Jeffries, who lives in Newark’s South
Ward—not far from where he grew
up—advocates for the interests of
Newark’s children and seeks to give
back in any way he can. More detail on the achievements of
Shavar D. Jeffries can be found online
at njpac.org. Click on Education, then
on Performances, then on Curriculum
Materials. Scroll down to “Download
Teacher Guide in Adobe Acrobat PDF
format” and select the Rev. Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr. Celebration guide.
Passport to Culture • The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration
Music Talk
harmony - the result of certain
simultaneously sounding musical
intervals or chords which relate to each
other and sound pleasing.
interval - the difference in pitch
between two tones.
in unison - in complete agreement;
harmonizing exactly.
lyrics - the words of a song.
melody - an organized succession of
single musical tones arranged in a
related and recognizable pattern.
music - the resonant tones and
vibrations that emanate from one or
more voices and/or instruments.
musician - a person who plays a musical
instrument, especially professionally.
phrase - a melodic sequence that forms
a complete unit.
pitch - the property of sound that
changes with variation in the frequency
of vibration.
polyrhythm - simultaneous use of
contrasting rhythmic patterns, common
when blending musical styles.
repertoire (or repertory) - the complete
list of musical works (or dramas,
operas or dances) available for a
performance by an individual or a
group at a given time.
Shavar D. Jeffries
anthem - a hymn of praise or loyalty; a
choral composition having a sacred or
moralizing text.
composer - a person who writes music.
dynamics - the interplay between
rhythm - a regular pattern produced by
the length of strong and weak musical
sounds at a particular speed or tempo;
frequently called the “beat.”
solo - a performance by one person that
already existing musical piece.
loudness and softness and smoothness
and “choppiness” of notes that are
played or sung.
call-and-response - a communication
gospel - a form of vocal music that
syncopation - stressing the normally
arrangement - the new adaptation of an
pattern where one party sends forth a
message or “call” and another party
responds. This pattern is very common
in African and African-descended music
and dance.
chord - three or more tones having
harmonic relation to each other and
played or sounded together.
developed in African-American
churches, especially in urban areas. It
incorporates elements of African rhythm
and music, African-American song
forms, expressive singing, and, often,
musical accompaniment.
may or may not be accompanied by
supporting voices or instruments.
unaccented beats, often used in Africanderived music.
tempo - the speed at which music is
played.
Passport to Culture • The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration
5
Did You Know?
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
In the late 19th and into the 20th century,
Southern whites had established a system
of authority that protected the privileges
of white society and generated tremendous
suffering for African Americans, controlling
them economically, politically and socially.
This climate characterized the era before and
after the birth of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin was born on January 15, 1929 in
Atlanta, GA. In 1944, at the age of 15,
he was admitted to Morehouse College.
At 19, following graduation from college,
he was ordained as a Baptist minister. In
1953, he married Coretta Scott, and in
1955, he received a doctorate in theology
from Boston University.
Radical changes—Rude awakenings

The Bus Boycott in Baton Rouge, LA
in 1953 was a mass movement guided
by the United Defense League in which
African-American citizens banded
together to fight the segregated seating
system on city buses. Though seldom
talked about, historians believe it set
the stage for desegregation in the
Deep South.

Brown vs. the Board of Education,
which has come to be known as
the beginning of the Civil Rights
Movement, was the culmination of an
attack on segregation in education by
the NAACP. On May 17, 1954, the
U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously
that racial segregation in public
schools was unconstitutional.

A Backlash by pro-segregation groups
throughout the South followed the
court ruling in favor of the NAACP.
African Americans as well as the few
whites who supported the civil rights
cause were killed, maimed and starved.
Among these was the highly publicized
killing and mutilation of the 14-yearold African-American Emmet Till, a
Northerner visiting Mississippi.
photo: Dick DeMarsico
Martin Luther King,
Jr. and the Struggle
for Civil Rights
march that Dr. King delivered his
famous “I Have a Dream” speech that
underscored the need for a society
where “people would be judged not
by the color of their skin, but by the
content of their character.”

The Civil Rights Act was passed in
1964, and Dr. King received the Nobel
Peace Prize. However, brutalities
continued in the South.

The “Letter from Birmingham Jail”
was written by Dr. King during his
imprisonment for participating in a
Birmingham, AL march in 1965. In
summary, the letter stated that he
had come to Birmingham because of
the injustice prevalent there. For Dr.
King, injustice anywhere led to the
possibility of injustice everywhere.

Dr. King’s last march led him to
Memphis, TN in support of the city’s
African-American sanitation workers.
In a stirring speech on April 13, 1968,
he delivered his “I Have Been to the
Mountaintop” sermon. The following
day, an assassin’s bullet snuffed out
his life.
Dr. King and the Civil Rights Movement



President Lyndon B. Johnson and Martin Luther King, Jr.
photo: Yoichi R. Okamoto
6
The Montgomery Bus Boycott (19551956), led by Dr. King, was sparked
by the arrest of black seamstress Mrs.
Rosa Parks for refusing to take her
place at the back of a city bus. The
boycott ended with the U.S. Supreme
Court ruling that segregation on public
buses is unconstitutional. The protest
propelled the Civil Rights Movement
into national consciousness and Martin
Luther King, Jr. into the public eye.
The philosophy of non-violence
practiced by Indian political leader
Mohandas Gandhi was adopted by
Dr. King after visiting India in 1959.
Dr. King, as well as other civil rights
activists and organizations throughout
the U.S., initiated examples of
wide-scale mass resistance to injustice
in the form of sit-ins, boycotts,
marches, and speeches.
“The March on Washington for
Jobs and Freedom,” led by Dr. King
in 1963, was the largest civil rights
protest of the era. It was during this
In 1985, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday
was designated a national holiday, celebrated
annually on the third Monday in January.
Although the life of the “dream keeper” has
ended, his legacy and spirit live on, leading
all to a more profound understanding of the
unquestionable need for human dignity and
peace among all people.
Passport to Culture • The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration
In the Classroom
Before the Performance
1. Ask students why Dr. Martin Luther King,
Jr.’s birthday is celebrated. What are the things
he stood for? How does this celebration connect
African Americans to their heritage? How does this
celebration connect all Americans to their heritage?
Why do students think that it is important to
remember Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.? (1.2)*
2. Prepare the class for watching a live
performance. Talk about proper audience
behavior. Good audiences listen attentively and
react appropriately to both funny moments and
scary or serious ones. Bad audiences react too
loudly, talk during the performance, fidget in
their seats, eat, drink, or fall asleep. Discuss when
it is appropriate to applaud. Stress that talking
during a performance is rude and distracting both
to performers and others in the audience. (1.1)
After the Performance
1. The following activity is an arts integrated
resource of Verizon’s Thinkfinity.org.
In this lesson, from ReadWriteThink, students
explore the ways that powerful and passionate
words communicate the concepts of freedom,
justice, discrimination, and the American Dream
in Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream”
speech. Have students pay attention to the details
of King’s speech as they read and as they gather
words to use in their own original poems. The
lesson, which places special emphasis on Dr.
King’s use of literary devices such as symbolism
and repetition, can be accessed at readwritethink.
org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=258. (1.1, 1.2,
1.3)
2. Discuss with students how the songs of Shirley
Caesar helped the audience understand some of
the things for which Dr. King stood. Verizon’s
Thinkfinity.org provides useful links to the
different styles of music that the group performed,
including information on spirituals from
Edsitement at edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_
plan.asp?id+318. (1.1, 1.2, 1.3)
Teaching Science Through Music
(Grades 6-12)
By Sharon J. Sherman, Ed.D.
Environmental advocacy means being proactive in causes that support a
clean, sustainable environment. Through advocacy, we attract the attention
of policymakers who pass legislation that protects the environment. There
are many environmental causes for which to advocate. Clean air, clean
water, reducing greenhouse gases, building a sustainable society, and clean
energy are just a few.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency has a website that
fosters environmental advocacy. “Pick 5 for the Environment” highlights
water, air, energy, land, and waste (epa.gov/pick5/). Here are some
environmentally-friendly actions recommended on the site:
•C
lean water - Advocating for clean water includes such actions as using
the least amount of water possible, reusing water, using biodegradable
cleaning products, disposing solids and liquids properly, and protecting
local water from pollutants, pesticides and garbage.
•C
lean air - Advocating for clean air involves reducing air pollution.
Walking and bicycling instead of using other forms of transportation are
two ways to accomplish this. Carpooling also saves energy and is better for
the environment. Planting trees, eating locally grown foods and reducing
indoor air pollution are additional ways to help keep the air clean.
•P
rotect the land - Advocating for the land includes reducing pesticide
use, composting and reducing waste generation. Reusing and recycling at
home and at school are also good strategies.
•P
reserving energy - Using renewable resources such as wind, sun,
water, and biofuels when possible is recommended to help preserve
energy as is simply using less electricity.
Environmental advocates need powerful ways to communicate their causes,
so they often use music and art to add impact to their messages and more
fully engage their audiences.
Have your students use music and art to create environmental advocacy
presentations. First, ask them (individually or in groups) to select and
research a specific environmental topic. Then, have the students create
multimedia “Going Green” presentations. (To see an example of a multimedia
presentation, have the class view the online video Mercy Mercy Me by the
Ecology in which a slideshow incorporates the art of photography and music.)
Sharon J. Sherman, Ed.D. is Dean of the School of Education and Professor
of Teacher Education at Rider University in Lawrenceville, NJ.
The Teaching Science Through the Arts content of this guide is made possible
through the generous support of Roche.
*Number(s) indicate the NJ Core Curriculum Content
Standard(s) supported by the activity.
Additional Before and After activities can
be found online at njpac.org. Click on Education,
then SchoolTime Performances. Scroll down and
click on MORE: Teacher Guides and Curriculum
Materials. Select the guide and resource
pages desired in PDF format.
Passport to Culture • The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration
7
Delving Deeper
Books for Students and Teachers
Caesar, Shirley. The Lady, The Melody,
The Word: An Autobiography. Thomas
Nelson Publishers, 1998.
King, Martin Luther, Jr. Stride Toward
Freedom. Harper and Row, 1958.
_______________. Strength to Love.
Harper and Row, 1963.
Mfume, Kwesi and Ronald Ii Stodghill.
No Free Ride. One World/Ballantine,
1997.
Teacher Resources
State of NJ Martin Luther King, Jr.
Commemorative Commission
CN 456, Trenton, NJ 08625-0456.
Recordings
Selected recordings by Shirley Caesar
A City Called Heaven (Light Records,
2009)
After 40 Years…Still Sweeping the City
(Light Records, 2007)
I Know the Truth (Artemis Strategic,
2005)
Shirley Caesar and Friends (Word
Entertainment, 2003)
You Can Make It (Sony 2000).
Acknowledgments
as of 12/1/10
NJPAC Arts Education programs are made
possible by the generosity of: Bank of America,
The Arts Education Endowment Fund in Honor
of Raymond G. Chambers, Leon & Toby
Cooperman, The Horizon Foundation for New
Jersey, Amy C. Liss, McCrane Foundation,
Merck Company Foundation, Albert &
Katharine Merck, The Prudential Foundation,
The PSEG Foundation, David & Marian
Rocker, The Sagner Family Foundation, The
Star-Ledger/Samuel I. Newhouse Foundation,
Surdna Foundation, Verizon, Victoria
Foundation, Wachovia, a Wells Fargo Company
and The Women’s Association of NJPAC.
Additional support is provided by: C.R. Bard
Foundation, Becton, Dickinson & Company,
The Frank and Lydia Bergen Foundation,
Allen & Joan Bildner & The Bildner Family
Foundation, Bloomberg, Chase, Veronica
Goldberg Foundation, Meg & Howard Jacobs,
Johnson & Johnson, Marianthi Foundation,
The MCJ Amelior Foundation, The New Jersey
State Council on the Arts, The George A. Ohl,
Jr. Foundation, Panasonic Corporation of North
America, Pechter Foundation, PNC Foundation
on behalf of the PNC Grow Up Great
program, The Provident Bank Foundation, E.
Franklin Robbins Charitable Trust, Roche, TD
Charitable Foundation, Target, The Turrell
Fund, Lucy and Eleanor S. Upton Charitable
Foundation, Walmart Foundation and The
Blanche M. & George L. Watts Mountainside
Community Foundation.
One Center Street
Newark, New Jersey 07102
Administration: 973 642-8989
Arts Education Hotline: 973 353-8009
artseducation@njpac.org
NJPAC wishes to thank Kia Jarmon of
Light Records and Professor Savar D.
Jeffries for assistance in preparing this
guide.
Writers: Zadie Ife
Laura Ingoglia
Mary Louise Johnston
Editor: Laura Ingoglia
Design: Pierre Sardain,
66 Creative, Inc.
66Creative.com
NJPAC Guest Reader:
Sanaz Hojreh
Curriculum Review Committee:
Judith Israel
Mary Lou Johnston
Amy Tenzer
DVD
After 40 Years…Still Sweeping the City.
Shirley Caesar. (Light Records, 2008)
Additional resources can be found online
at njpac.org. Click on Education, then
on Performances, then on Curriculum
Materials. Scroll down to “Download
Teacher Guide in Adobe Acrobat PDF
format” and select desired guide.
Copyright © 2011
New Jersey Performing Arts Center
All Rights Reserved
For even more arts integration resources,
please go to Thinkfinity.org, the Verizon
Foundation’s signature digital learning platform,
designed to improve educational and
literacy achievement.
William J. Marino.……............................…………………………………………………………………….Chairman
Lawrence P. Goldman …....……..................…………………………………..President & Chief Executive Officer
Sandra Bowie………….……….....................……………………………………..Vice President of Arts Education
Sanaz Hojreh.……………..................….……………………………..Assistant Vice President of Arts Education
Uday Joshi.……………....................….………………………Director of Partnerships and Community Programs
Verushka Spirito……........................…………………………………………...Associate Director for Performances
Caitlin Evans Jones…………..........................………………………………….…Director of In-School Programs
Jeff Griglak......………......................……………….………………………………..……..Director of Arts Training
Natasha Dyer…….….........................Administrative Assistant/Office Manager for VP & AVP of Arts Education
Laura Ingoglia…………........................………………………....…………....Editor of Teacher’s Resource Guides
8
Passport to Culture • The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration