DJ's First Parade
by
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I just stood there very excited, but also very confused. I love birthday parties and I love parades, but I don’t know anything about this person. I don’t even know how old he is, or whether or not he likes to play video games. So, I go over to Pop-Pop and ask him, “Who is Martin Loofta, the king?”
Pop-Pop laughs and begins to explain that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a great man. Pop-Pop told me that Dr. King was one of the most important figures of the Civil Rights Movement. Pop-Pop leaned back in dad’s big chair and told me how Dr. King fought against segregation with peaceful protests and powerful words.
Confused by Pop-Pop’s big words, I politely interrupted, “Excuse me Pop-Pop.”
“What is it?” he gently responded.
“What is segregation?” I asked.
Pop-Pop was surprised by my question and was very happy that I asked. At this time, everyone was in the living room with us… mom, dad and Nanna. They all loved to hear Pop-Pop tell his stories.
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About the Book
Paying homage to the age-old African-American practice of oral tradition, DJ's First Parade is a story about a family's quest to teach the youngest member of their tribe about the significance of the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and the Civil Rights Movement.
About the Author
Robert Sheldon Stradford, or Mr. Stradford as he is so affectionately known by his students, is a third-grade teacher in the Prince George's County Public School System in Maryland. He has been a classroom teacher for the past nine (9) years, and is currently seeking his Masters Degree in Educational Leadership/Administration. He received his Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education from the University of Maryland at College Park in 2000.
While "Mr. Stradford" enjoys teaching, his true passion is artistic expression. At any given moment, it is not unlikely to find him sketching in a pad, or writing notes for a new story or poem. In fact, a big reason that Mr. Stradford chose the education field for his career path is because it is one of the few careers that allows him to share his artistic talents while positively influencing the development of young minds.
Now, instead of using education as a platform for his artistic expression, Mr. Stradford is ready to use his artistic talent and creativity as a platform for his innate teaching ability.