What can make a teacher cry

I have to admit, Monday I was a little bummed showing up for school.  It didn't seem right being robbed of a day by snow. But now on Tuesday, as I look back on the previous day, it was a day I will remember for quite some time.  Monday we studied the life of Martin Luther King Jr.(naturally!) and I thought the students might have trouble sitting through a biography or two.

We read about the young life of Martin.  How he was friends with many people and how his mother really loved him.  Many of the  students were able to relate to this!  We then got to a section of the book where Martin and his family were walking to the movies. Another family approached the movies at the same time.  As they approached, they noticed the sign "Whites Only". The other family entered the movies but Martin's hung back. I asked the students,"What did this sign mean?"  Nobody answered at first. I tried to prompt the students by saying,"Why would this family be able to go into the movies and not this family?  Think about the sign and look at the illustration."  I finally had a girl raise her hand and say,"Mrs. Renfro, I think it means that only people wearing white clothes can go in."  Another boy said," No, because Martin is wearing a white shirt!"  The girl then raised her hand and said, "I bet those people that went in had the last name White."  I found this quite amusing and intriguing that NO ONE understood the  meaning of the sign.  Also, quite heartbreaking that I was the one that was to tell the children what this means.   I tell them it would be like chosing to like someone because  they have blond hair or brown eyes.  To them it seems crazy and unimaginable and horrible.
They relate Martin's message of treating everyone fair by relating it to Coach Esposito's message("Treat other people the way you like to be treated").
When were close to the end of the book, a was able to read the famous excerpt from Dr. King's speech.
“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”  This choked me up. After listening to the kids during the lesson I was blown away.  It was hard for me to finish the book.  It wasn't just the message itself, but the students reaction earlier in the lesson that got to me.  If Dr. King were alive, he would see how different things are now.
Thank you parents for sharing your wonderful, sweet angels with me.