The NY Council for the Humanities will be providing Martin Luther King, Jr. & Inauguration Day online programs to encourage community dialogue about the history of race in America. January offers two unique opportunities to host conversations about our nation’s past, present, and future: Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) Day on January 19, 2009 and Inauguration Day on January 20, 2009. The New York Council for the Humanities is encouraging the use of these important occasions to organize community conversations focused on a short, shared text and a set of open-ended, thought-provoking questions. The Council will provide easy-to-use web pages, texts, and questions as well as suggestions for how to shape a respectful, engaging dialogue. All you have to do is provide a space and someone to facilitate the discussion-then invite the community.

Online resources available for MLK Day will include: An excerpt from Dr. King’s speech The Drum Major Instinct in both text and audio formats along with a series of questions and guidelines for starting and sustaining good conversations.

Online resources available for Inauguration Day will include: A written transcript and audio of the Inaugural Address, a set of questions written immediately following the address (to be used for conversations held later that day), and guidelines for starting and sustaining good conversations.

If you’d like to host a community conversation on either MLK Day (January 19) or Inauguration Day (January 20), send the Council an email today at [email protected] they’ll notify you as soon as the online resources are available.