By Giada Jackson, NBCI Trust Community Outreach Coordinator
On Monday, January 19, 2026, the National Black Cultural Information Trust, Inc. held a “Martin Luther King Jr. Children’s Book Reading” at InstaCare Event Center in Charles County, MD. Families from across Southern Maryland attended, with children of all ages participating. During the event, Jessica Ann Mitchell Aiwuyor, NBCI Trust Executive Director, and volunteer Jessieca Montgomery read five books about the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The books included one published by his son, Martin Luther King III, and other books discussed youth activism during the Civil Rights Movement. Additionally, we discussed the life of Coretta Scott King. Children participated in a Q&A session, where they answered questions about Black history and the King Family. After the book reading, coloring sheets were available for the kids to color and do arts and crafts. The coloring sheets featured Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Coretta Scott King, and even some images of Malcolm X.
The importance of hosting this event was to educate and spread awareness to children, providing them with information on why we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. It’s important to learn about history because history impacts our lives everyday. Especially the history of the “I have a dream” speech.” This speech made people open their eyes more and see the way African Americans were being treated differently from white people. It helped push forward the advancement of civil rights for Black people in America.
During the book reading, pictures were taken of the interactions while the children were learning history that is important for everyone to know. To make sure the kids were paying attention, the readers would ask questions related to the books and check to see if the children understood the content.
For more information about NBCI Trust events or to request an event contact info@nbcit.org.