Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech in 1963.

A crowd of more than 200,000 people assembled at Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963, for the "March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom"—though most of us think of it as the date that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech. The speech was the culminating event of a day of singing, talking, and political activism.

One of the projects that Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech has inspired is the "I Have a Dream" Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides tutoring and mentoring to children from low-income areas.

Have your students explore the Foundation's website, and brainstorm ways that they can help others at your school-or even themselves-achieve their educational dreams. Have students create a list of three to five goals to work toward and keep track of their progress during the year. Goals might range from establishing school reading projects to organizing homework help for younger students. Students can use the ReadWriteThink Printing Press to create flyers or brochures that promote their projects and encourage others to meet their educational goals.

• We Shall Overcome: Lincoln Memorial
  

  One of the "historical places of the Civil Rights movement," the Lincoln Memorial was the site of many civil rights demonstrations. This webpage includes details on Dr. King's speech and the "March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom."

   

• Behind the Scenes of the March on Washington
  

  Celebrating the 40th anniversary of the March on Washington, this NPR Morning Edition series provides numerous audio files and photographs that document the event.

   

• The Martin Luther King Jr. Research and Education Institute
  

  No matter what you're looking for regarding Dr. King's life, you're bound to find it on this Stanford University site, which includes an interactive chronology of his life, an encyclopedia of related resources, lesson plans, and much more!

   

• 200,000 March for Civil Rights in Orderly Washington Rally; President Sees Gain for Negro
  

  The New York Times Learning Network offers this historical article about the March on Washington in which King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech.