Martin Luther King, Jr. Poster Exhibition

The Alexandria Black History Museum with the Office of Historic Alexandria sponsors an annual Student Poster Exhibition for Alexandria City Public School students, grades 2-5.

See resources for teaching about Martin Luther King, Jr., and see posters from years past.

The 2021 poster theme, "Creating a Hopeful World," comes from a quote from another Civil Rights icon, John Lewis. 

The Alexandria City Public Schools provided guidance to teachers, parents and students on how to submit the artwork. Learn more about the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Poster Exhibition.

View a slideshow of the 2021 students' posters, and download your favorites, or watch the video below.

View remarks from by Andrew Watson, ACPS Fine Arts Curriculum Specialist.

This year's theme comes from a quote from another Civil Rights icon, John Lewis: 

My simple message would be you find something that you feel very strong about. Stand up, speak up, speak out. Give it your all. Push, pull. I’ve said from time to time, never ever give up, or give in, or give out. And whatever you do, do it with faith, and hope, and much love.

John Lewis, (born February 21, 1940, near Troy, Alabama — died July 17, 2020, Atlanta, Georgia), was an American civil rights leader and politician best known for his chairmanship of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and for leading the march that was halted by police violence on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, in 1965, a landmark event in the history of the civil rights movement that became known as “Bloody Sunday.” 

As a teenager, he was inspired by Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Lewis studied non-violent protest, and became involved in sit-ins at segregated lunch counters and participated in the Freedom Rides that challenged the segregation of Southern interstate bus terminals. By his early 20’s he was already considered one of the “Big Six” leaders of the civil rights movement alongside Dr. King. He helped organize the 1963 March on Washington where Dr. King delivered his “I have a dream” speech and was the youngest speaker there. He was beaten and jailed many times for his peaceful protest of unfair laws and treatment. Lewis received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011, presented by President Barack Obama. He represented his Atlanta district as a U. S. Congressman from 1986 until his death in July 2020.

View the slide show: John Lewis 1940 - 2020

Learn more about John Lewis and his legacy.

Websites

• John Lewis in His Own Words (video)
• Representative John Lewis’ congressional career 
• Reflections on John Lewis 

Books 

Elementary School 

• John Lewis in the Lead, by James Haskins (2011)
• John Lewis (My Itty-Bitty Bio), by Meeg Pincus (2021)

Middle School

• March: Book One, by John Lewis (2013)
• The Story of Civil Rights Hero John Lewis, by James Haskins (2018)

High School

• His Truth is Living On: John Lewis and the Power of Hope, by Jon Meacham (2011)