Dr. King is My Grandpa

Twelve-year-old Yolanda Renee King stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. Thousands of people crowded around her.

“We stand and march for love!” Yolanda shouted into a microphone. The audience roared and clapped.

It was August 28, 2020. Yolanda was speaking at a protest inspired by one that had happened 57 years earlier: the March on Washington.

On that sunny summer day in 1963, more than 250,000 Americans had gathered in this same spot. There were people of all ages and races and backgrounds, from every corner of the country. But they were all there for the same reason—to demand equality for Black Americans.

The protesters were led by a man who would become one of America’s greatest heroes: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. During the 1950s and 1960s, Dr. King was one of the leaders of the civil rights movement, a struggle to end discrimination against Black people.

“I have a dream,” Dr. King told the crowd, “that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” His speech became known as one of the most important moments of the civil rights movement—and all of U.S. history.

But to Yolanda, Dr. King is more than just a famous American. He was her grandfather.

Yolanda never had the chance to meet Dr. King. Tragically, he was shot and killed in 1968, 40 years before she was born. Yet Yolanda is one of many people working to continue his mission today.

“We will fulfill my grandfather’s dream!” she promised the crowd that day in August.

Twelve-year-old Yolanda Renee King was in Washington, D.C. She stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Thousands of people crowded around her.

It was August 28, 2020. Yolanda was speaking at a protest. The protest was inspired by the March on Washington. That march happened in 1963, 57 years earlier.

On that sunny summer day, more than 250,000 Americans had come together in this same spot. There were people of all ages and races and backgrounds. They were from every corner of the country. But they were all there for the same reason. They were demanding equality for Black Americans.

The protesters were led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He would become one of America’s greatest heroes. During the 1950s and 1960s, Dr. King was a leader of the civil rights movement. The civil rights movement was a struggle to end discrimination against Black people.

“I have a dream,” Dr. King told the crowd, “that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” This speech became one of the most important moments of the civil rights movement. It also became one of the most important moments in U.S. history.

But to Yolanda, Dr. King is more than a famous American. He was her grandfather.

Yolanda never got to meet Dr. King. He was shot and killed in 1968—40 years before Yolanda was born. Yet Yolanda is one of many people continuing his mission today.

“We will fulfill my grandfather’s dream!” she promised.

From the time she was a little kid, Yolanda knew her grandfather was famous. “But I didn’t really think about how important he was to the world,” she explains. “I just thought of him as my grandpa.” As she got older, however, she began to understand why Dr. King is a hero to so many Americans.

In Dr. King’s time, racist laws were in place in many parts of the U.S., especially in the South. These laws kept Black people separate from White people—a shameful practice known as segregation. Black Americans were forced to go to different schools, parks, restaurants, and hospitals from White Americans. They were often denied basic rights, like the right to vote in elections.

For Yolanda, it’s hard to imagine living in that time. She and her family would not even have been allowed to live in the neighborhood where they live now. “Sometimes my friend and I talk about it,” Yolanda says. “She’s White, and I’m Black. If we traveled back to the 1960s, we wouldn’t be allowed to be friends.”

Dr. King led peaceful protests against these racist, unfair rules. He gave powerful speeches that inspired hundreds of thousands of Americans to join the fight for equal rights. His actions inspired the U.S. government to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This important law made it illegal to treat people unfairly because of their race.

Even when she was little, Yolanda knew her grandfather was famous. “But I didn’t really think about how important he was to the world,” she explains. “I just thought of him as my grandpa.” As she got older, she began to understand why he is a hero to many Americans.

In Dr. King’s time, racist laws were in place in much of the U.S. They were especially common in the South. They kept Black people separate from White people. This was called segregation. Black Americans were forced to go to different schools. They had to go to different parks, restaurants, and hospitals. They often didn’t have basic rights, like the right to vote.

For Yolanda, it’s hard to imagine that time. She and her family would not have been allowed to live where they live now. “Sometimes my friend and I talk about it,” Yolanda says. “She’s White, and I’m Black. If we went back to the 1960s, we wouldn’t be allowed to be friends.”

Dr. King led peaceful protests against these rules. He gave powerful speeches. His speeches inspired hundreds of thousands of Americans to fight for equal rights. His actions inspired the government to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This law was important. It made it illegal to treat people unfairly because of their race.

The U.S. has come a long way since then. We’ve elected our first Black president, Barack Obama, and our first Black vice president, Kamala Harris. We have more Black lawmakers in our government than ever before.

But racism is still a major issue in America. According to a June 2020 poll, nearly 70 percent of Americans say racial discrimination is a big problem here. As Yolanda says, “We’re still not where we’re supposed to be.”

Yet she believes that change is possible if we push for it together. “If we keep working and practicing, we’ll make more progress,” she says.

In her hopefulness and determination, Yolanda reminds many people of her legendary grandfather. But she is not simply following in his footsteps. “I am also making my own footsteps,” she says. “I want to change the world in my own way.” On top of speaking out against racism, Yolanda has also worked to help the homeless, end gun violence, and protect the environment.

These are all big challenges. But Yolanda refuses to get discouraged by the difficulty of the work she’s trying to do. “I don’t like when people say, ‘That’s just how things are,’ ” she says. “It’s a way of saying that nothing can be done to fix a problem. There’s always something you can do.”

Even for kids? Yes, Yolanda says—especially for kids. “A lot of people say, ‘Kids, you don’t need to worry about this stuff yet,’ ” Yolanda says. “But I think kids can definitely make a difference. They can share their dreams with the world and help make their dreams happen.”

The U.S. has come a long way since then. We’ve elected our first Black president, Barack Obama. We’ve also elected our first Black vice president, Kamala Harris. We have more Black lawmakers in government than ever before.

But racism is still a big problem in America. According to a 2020 poll, nearly 70 percent of Americans agree. As Yolanda says, “We’re still not where we’re supposed to be.”

Yet she believes that change is possible. We must push for it together. “If we keep working and practicing, we’ll make more progress,” she says.

Yolanda is hopeful and determined. She reminds many people of her legendary grandfather. But she is not simply following in his footsteps. “I am also making my own footsteps,” she says. “I want to change the world in my own way.” On top of speaking out for equal rights, Yolanda has worked to help the homeless. She has also worked to end gun violence and protect the environment.

These are all big challenges. But Yolanda isn’t put off by the hard work. “I don’t like when people say, ‘That’s just how things are,’ ” she says. “It’s a way of saying that nothing can be done to fix a problem. There’s always something you can do.” Even for kids? Yes, Yolanda says, especially for kids. “A lot of people say, ‘Kids, you don’t need to worry about this stuff yet,’ ” Yolanda says. “But I think kids can definitely make a difference. They can share their dreams with the world and help make their dreams happen.”