January 18th, 1991

Dear Daddy,

Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and we got off from school!

Mrs. Jones said Martin Luther King Jr. was a hero. Mr. King knew that everybody was created equally, but a lot of other people didn't believe that. Mr. King tried to teach other people that, and he even went to Washington D.C. and delivered a speech about freedom in front of over 250,000 of his supporters! His speech was called "I Have a Dream".

Ms. Jones also told us that Mr. King died because he thought everyone should be treated the same. Because of his work and the work of many others, however, now everyone is required by law to be treated equally and fairly.

Since I didn't have school, Mommy and I decided to have a girl's day out. First, we went to Birch Aquarium. It was a lot of fun! There were so many fish and sea creatures! All of the fish were so colorful! None of them looked at all like Fi. Mommy said that's because Fi is a freshwater fish, and the fish in the aquarium live in salt water.

I wish you could've come today! Mommy and I got to touch a starfish and s horseshoe crab, and we even got pet a stingray! It was so, so cool! The starfish was really bumpy, and the horseshoe crab's claws tickled my hand. The stingray was really, really soft and smooth. Mommy said it felt like touching velvet!

My favorite was the sea turtle, though. The lady doing the tour said the turtle's name is Gus. When we got to his tank, he was hiding under a big rock, and I couldn't see him, but then he came out and swam up right to where I was standing. And Daddy, I think he winked at me! Then he swam back to his rock again. He was so big and graceful and elegant! At the gift shop, I bought a sea turtle stuffed animal. It even named him Gus! Right now, Gus is sitting on the floor watching me while I write. Fi is on my bookshelf, and I think he might be jealous of Gus.

When I grow up, I think it would be a lot of fun to work at an aquarium! As we were leaving, the man at the door asked Mommy and I like our visit. I told him I LOVED it, and that I want to work there when I grow up! He told me that I could start become a junior volunteer once I turned sixteen! But Daddy! That's eight whole years away! I don't think I can wait that long! When I told Mommy that, she said before I knew it, I would be sixteen and in high school and driving and going on dates and stuff. Daddy, I'm not sure I believe her. Eight years is an awful long ways...

After the aquarium, we went to a Thai restaurant! It was super yummy! We got their "pad thai", and it was really, really good!

We went shopping, after we finished eating lunch. I still had some money left over from the aquarium gift shop, so I bought two sparkly headbands and a pink bracelet that says "LOVE" on it. The shimmery silver headband is my favorite! It's really pretty! I can't wait to show it to you!

I miss you a lot! You really would've liked the aquarium, Daddy! I love you soooo much!

Love,

Kelly

A/N: "And when this happens, and when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:

'Free at last! Free at last!

Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!'" -Martin Luther King Jr.

(August 28th, 1963, Washington D.C.)

Martin Luther King Jr. was a man who opposed discrimination and fought for equality. On every third Monday in January, we set aside this day to remember and honor the man who Mr. King was and what he stood and fought for. He believed that all men should be judged on the content of their character, not the color of their skin. He died for this belief. His death, however, was not in vain. Because of his work and the work of many others during the Civil Rights Movement, all are ensured the rights of an American citizen.

Thank you for reading! :)