ACADEMIC CONTESTS
The MLK Committee’s academic contest—typically an essay or poster contest—was created to help educate school-aged children and youth in the Greater Attleboro community about the African American struggle for freedom and civil rights in the United States.
We do this in large part because we know that history has a lot to teach us—we live in a culture that has been shaped by the past. Thus, it is important to know what we’ve inherited from the generation that preceded us so that we may more aptly move forward and improve human relations.
It’s also important to show the significant role that African Americans played in shaping American history.
The African American struggle for freedom and civil rights—whether it was through slave revolts, litigation, nonviolent protest, or the creative arts—is America’s history; it is part of our country’s national narrative.
Furthermore, by creating opportunities for young people to explore this part of American history, we hope they will learn important life lessons about courage, resilience, ingenuity, and integrity as they examine the people and circumstances central to this uniquely American story.
We also hope the academic contests will:
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Help to develop empathy and cultural understanding as students learn about people seemingly different from themselves;
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Show the interconnectedness of humanity;
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Help a young person feel rooted in the country they call home
The Committee is able to award $100 to three winners each year due to a generous donation by Gary Lavoie of Footworks, Attleboro.