10x12 - Got MLK?

[bunniefuu]

Yes!

SAM: Hey, Ruthie.

What are you doing?

Are you coloring?

No, I'm not coloring.

I'm working on a
report for school today.

About what?

Eleanor Roosevelt.

Who's she? She
was the First Lady.

She was the first lady to what?

The First Lady is the woman
who's married to the president.

Eleanor Roosevelt, married
to Franklin Roosevelt.

He was a president
a long time ago.

They were both great Americans.

Is Roscoe Riverton
a great American?

Roscoe Riverton's a rat,

but he's a great
cartoon character.

Oh, there you guys are.

SAM: Is Dad a great American?

Ruthie's working on a
report about a great American.

Oh.

We should all strive
to be great Americans.

And you guys can
start by going upstairs

and cleaning up your room,
just like your mom told you,

before you leave for school.

Maybe it's too much work
to be a great American.

How about we just try
for good Americans?

Go clean your room;
then, we'll talk about it.

I noticed you
were up pretty late

last night on the phone.

When did you have time
to work on your report?

Oh.

I finished my report
before I got on the phone.

Oh. What's it about?

Eleanor Roosevelt.

Didn't you do a report
on Eleanor Roosevelt

a couple of years ago?

Yeah, but you've got
to admit, she was great.

She's worth another
report, wouldn't you say?

I'd say you're asking
the wrong question.

Yeah, well, I
better get to school.

I'll think about it on the bus.

Okay.

I hope you will.

Bye.

(door opens, closes)

RUTHIE: They say,
"Behind every great man

stands a great woman,"

but Eleanor Roosevelt
stood out on her own.

She was a great American.

Interesting report, Ruthie.

Why don't you
come by after school?

I'd like to discuss it
some more with you.

Okay. Who's next?

Let's see.

Alex.

My report is on the Reverend
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

He was a great
American because...

Excuse me, Alex.

Martin Luther King
Day was last Monday.

We covered Martin Luther King
the Friday before the holiday.

This week, we're doing
reports on great Americans.

But Martin Luther King
is a great American.

That's true, of course,

but I'm not going to let
you use last week's work

for this week's assignment.

It's just that I don't
think we can cover

Martin Luther King's
whole life in one day.

I understand, but that
wasn't the assignment.

You'll have to
find someone else.

But this is the
report I want to give.

Why don't you sit down

and we'll discuss
this after school.

Nice try, Alex.
(students laughing)

Someone have a problem?

♪ th Heaven ♪

♪ When I see their happy faces ♪

♪ Smiling back at me ♪

♪ th Heaven ♪

♪ I know there's
no greater feeling ♪

♪ Than the love of family ♪

♪ Where can you go ♪

♪ When the world
don't treat you right? ♪

♪ The answer is home ♪

♪ That's the one
place that you'll find ♪

♪ th Heaven ♪

♪ Mmm, th Heaven ♪

♪ th Heaven. ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

Hey, Ruthie.

Oh, hey, Martin. What's up?

Just headed to practice.

What's going on with you?

Nothing. I'm just waiting

to talk to my
teacher, Mrs. Porter.

She's been in there talking

to this Alex guy
for, like, minutes.

Alex, the new guy?

From the baseball team?

Yeah, that's the one.

Well, he's not in
any trouble, is he?

Kind of.

I feel like we pull
Martin Luther King out

once a year, like he's
Santa Claus or something.

We only talk about Christopher
Columbus on Columbus Day.

I don't get your point.

My point is, there is a day

set aside to recognize Dr. King.

There's a day we
recognize groundhogs, too,

but I don't think
Dr. King just popped

out of the ground, gave
his "I have a dream" speech

and sank back into
the Washington Mall.

Look...

there's a curriculum
I have to follow.

If you have a problem
with the curriculum,

you can take it up
with the principal.

Thank you.

I think I will.

That's up to you.

In the meantime, I
would like to suggest

some other people that
you can do your report on.

There's Harriet Tubman.

There is.

You could do Frederick Douglass.

I could.

How about Thurgood Marshall?

Look, Mrs. Porter,
I'm sorry, but...

These are all great
African-Americans.

I-I don't understand

why you're being so
stubborn about this.

You're right.

They are all great Americans,

but they don't
get their own day.

They all get lumped together

in what's supposed to
be Black History Month.

I bet none of the
other kids in the class

even know or care
who these people are.

All the more reason for you

to introduce them
to the other students.

And all the more reason to
talk about Dr. King's message.

(sighs)

Alex, you're a good student,

and I appreciate your passion,

but I'm not going to
make an exception.

We covered Martin
Luther King Jr.,

so move on.

What's the big deal?

I don't know. Ask him.

He should just
do another report.

Seems like he's
going to have to.

So, is my only option
to talk to the principal?

No, you can take a
failing grade if you want.

Think about it overnight, and
let me know what you decide.

Ruthie.

Dude, what are you doing?

What do you mean?

If your grades drop, you
won't be able to play ball.

We'll see.

Look, you really need
to think about this.

I mean, what's more important,
Martin Luther King or baseball?

What did you just say, Martin?

I said... it's just that...

I mean, he can save his
report on Martin Luther King

for the next Martin
Luther King Day, right?

I mean, it can be done any year.

MARTIN: Everybody knows
who Martin Luther King is.

Right? I mean, I know I do.

So, you think
Alex should not risk

having us learn any more
about Martin Luther King

if it means jeopardizing his
position on the baseball team?

Right. I mean, no
offense to Dr. King.

Oh, no, of course not.

I mean, Alex is a
heck of a shortstop,

and he's only a sophomore.

Okay.

When you're right, you're right.

You can do your report.

And I'm going to have
everybody else redo their reports

to cover some of those
people you and I talked about...

Or any other great
African-Americans.

Does that include me?

I already did my report
on Eleanor Roosevelt.

I'm sure you have a few times.

You can't learn by
recycling old work, Ruthie.

It would be great
if you could do

a presentation on somebody
new, like Sojourner Truth.

Who's Sojourner Truth?

You tell me.

Thanks, Mrs. Porter.

MRS. PORTER:
You're welcome, Alex.

Hey, thanks to you, too, man.

What did I do? Other
than get me extra work?

Hey, it's not my fault

you couldn't get
by on recycled work.

I've got to catch the bus.

Yeah, we've got to
get dressed for practice.

Let's go.

Hey, Ruthie, what happened?

(sighs)

I have to give a new report.

Because?

I kind of recycled my old one.

There's no rule
against that... is there?

I was going to do
mine on Betsy Ross.

I always do my
reports on Betsy Ross.

Well, I'm afraid you're going to
have to choose someone else...

Someone who's African-American.

Why?

Does this have something
to do with that new kid, Alex?

Kind of.

Not really.

It was Martin.

(sighs)

Hey, new kid.

I heard you were trying
to give some MLK report,

and it's not even
Martin Luther King Day.

Did they let you do
that at your last school?

'Cause here, and everywhere
else in the rest of the country,

it's the Friday before
the Monday holiday only.

Sorry, man.

That's just how it is.

Yeah, well, Martin here
just changed all that.

I'm going get to do my report,

and everyone else in the class

is going have to do a report

on a great
African-American, too.

I already wrote my report
on George Washington.

I always do my reports
on George Washington.

Looks like now you'll
be doing a report

on George Washington Carver.

BRAD: I don't think so.

You know, Brewer, everybody
stays out of your business

out of respect for you.

Maybe you should stay
out of everybody else's.

Look, all I said was
baseball is important.

Or that's all I meant, anyway.

Baseball is important.

DANNY: Sometimes it's like
Coach doesn't even know I'm alive.

Yeah? Well, the only reason
he ever pays any attention to me

is 'cause I'm a
good pinch runner.

That's not a bad thing.

You're the fastest
guy on the team.

Dude. What? He is.

No. What's that on your car?

(sighs)

Somebody must
be really mad at you.

Yeah, but for what?

I mean, who would
write something like this?

My guess would be a r*cist.

A mean, ugly, hateful r*cist.

I talked to Kevin.

He'll be right over.

Did you call your dad?

I left him a message.

I'm gonna show it to
him when he gets home.

So, you drove over here
with that on your car?

What was I supposed to do?

(sighs)

Did you show anyone at school?

No, I drove over
here to show you.

I imagined you
turned a few heads

on your way over here.

Well, it's not like I wrote it.

No, I know. I'm not...

I'm not saying you have
anything to be ashamed of.

It's just language
like that... it's... hateful.

Yeah, but I don't understand

why anybody would
write that on my car.

I mean, it's not like

I hang out with a
lot of black people.

I mean not that...
not that I wouldn't.

I mean, there are black,

I mean African-American...

I mean, there are
guys on the team,

and I get along
with them just fine.

But it's not like we hang
out all the time or anything.

That's... that's all I'm saying.

It shouldn't matter if you have
one African-American friend,

or ten African-American friends,
or no African-American friends.

It's wrong.

Well, what if it was a mistake?

What-what if this wasn't
even meant for me.

Doesn't matter if they
meant to write that

on your car or
somebody else's car.

It's still wrong.

I just want to know who did it.

(sighs)

Hey, Lou, it's Lucy.

We've got to come up
with something creative

for the church fund-raiser.

I don't want to do the
same old bake sale again.

Let's try to do something
we haven't done in a while.

Better yet, let's
do something new.

Call me. Bye.

(phone rings)

That was quick.

Hope you got something good.

Oh, yeah, you bet I do, honey.

Mrs. Bink?

Yeah.

I need to talk to your father.

Uh, I'm sorry, he's not here.

Is there something
I can help you with?

Well, you know, it's-it's funny.

I always thought that it
would be one of the boys

who would follow your
father into the ministry.

And, uh, you're
not just doing this

to make up for... for
Mary, are you, honey?

No.

I was just wondering.

Anything I can help
you with, Mrs. Bink?

Yeah, you can tell me
what that Martin's problem is.

Excuse me?

Martin. You know, Martin?

That kid who used
to live with your family.

What about Martin?

While I was driving
home from the market,

I saw a... a car with...

with these remarks,

and... and, uh,

he was driving it, and...

What kind of remarks?

Disturbing remarks.

Like?

Racial remarks.

And they were written
all over the back of the car.

Are you sure it was Martin?

Yeah, the pretty
boy... It was him.

I know it was him.

That doesn't sound like Martin.

Are you calling me
a liar, honey, hmm?

(phone rings)

Hello?

Hey, Ruthie.

What's up?

I have a little bit of a
weird question for you.

Okay.

Have you seen Martin today?

Yeah, I saw him
at school earlier.

Why? What's going on?

I just got a crazy
call from Mrs. Bink

about Martin and his car.

Was he in an accident?

No, not exactly.

Where's Savannah?

The dogs are watching her.

She's with Annie.

What's going on?

Oh.

You've been driving
your car around like that?

MARTIN: Yeah. I had no choice.

This is pretty ugly.

Where did this happen?

In the parking lot at school.

Is there anybody at school

you've been having
problems with?

No, not at all.

KEVIN: Do you think it could
be somebody from a rival school?

That wouldn't make sense.

It could just be a case
of mistaken identity.

Well, that's what I'm hoping.

If you and your dad want me to,

I can talk to the
principal about this,

but no matter who it
is, it's just very troubling

that anyone in our
community would even think

to write something like
this on anybody's car.

I can't believe we could have
an incident like this in Glenoak.

This is more than
just an incident.

This is a crime...
a hate crime...

And someone should
be locked up for it.

Lucy just called.

She said that Mrs.
Bink saw... this.

What happened?

I don't know.

I was coming out
of baseball practice,

and there it was.

This happened at school?

Yeah, we were just asking Martin

if there's anybody he's
been having problems with.

You really think a student
could have done this?

That's scary.

Maybe Mrs. Porter was right.

I guess we do need
this new assignment.

What assignment?

Mrs. Porter heard Martin say

that baseball is more important

than Martin Luther King,

so she decided that
the entire class has

to do a new report on
great African-Americans.

That's not exactly what I said.

That's what you said.

But it's not what I meant.

Anyway, after he said that,

Mrs. Porter decided
that everyone in class has

to do a new report on a
great African-American.

I'm not even in that class.

I had nothing to do with it.

Alex is the one that
make a big deal about it.

But now, everybody keeps
acting like it's my fault,

even the guys in
the locker room.

How did all the guys in
the locker room find out?

Mrs. Porter hasn't even
had a chance to tell the class.

MARTIN: Alex thanked me

for helping him out when
we were in the locker room,

and some of the guys
weren't too happy about it, but...

I-I don't think they'd do this.

They're all good guys.

We're all on the team together.

Alex is African-American?

Yeah, he's black, and
he's a new student.

He transferred last semester.

We should report this.

I'm going to call the station.

Reverend, Martin, this
is Detective O'Brian.

He heads up the
Hate Crime Division.

It's good to meet you.

Sorry it's under these
circumstances. Kevin.

Leif.

So, you've been driving
around with this on your car?

Uh, yeah.

I wanted to show
Reverend Camden.

MICHAELS: I see.

Well, no one said anything
to you while you were driving?

I don't think so. I don't know.

I was really too angry to
pay attention to anyone else.

Okay, well, it's a good
thing you called us,

'cause we definitely have
a hate crime on our hands,

and in this case, it's
vandalism and racism.

Never thought I'd be
the victim of a hate crime.

I'm white.

Anybody can be the
victim of a hate crime.

It's just what it sounds like.

It's a crime motivated by hate.

Half the hate crimes

in this country are
racially motivated.

But it could be any kind of
bias... anything from gender

to religion to
sexual orientation.

It could even be a
disability. Take your pick.

Sad.

This is really sad.

It is, and that's why we take
these things very seriously.

If this happens again,
call us immediately.

In the meantime, Martin,

go ahead and wash your car.

What about fingerprints?

From what I saw,

they won't be able to
pull any usable prints.

It doesn't matter. I'm
not washing my car.

The guy who did
this is gonna wash it.

Go ahead and wash it,
son, 'cause most of the time,

with cases like this, you
never find out who the perp is.

So, if you wait, you may
be waiting a long time.

You may be waiting forever.

Then I'll wait, because
I didn't deserve this.

Nobody deserves this.

"They both stood there
in the old town square,

"the blue-haired bear
and red-haired bear.

"And it was clear
as their trickling tears

that there was no good reason
for all their hate and fears."

Mom, what happened
to Martin's car?

Well, someone... A
very mean person...

Wrote something
terrible on Martin's car.

What did they write?

They wrote something
very, very hateful.

Why?

Some people use bad words

to describe other people.

And what was
written on Martin's car

were horrible words

that mean people use

to describe black people.

Is Martin black?

No, Martin's not
black. Martin's white.

You two, it's time for bed.

(makes silly sound)

God bless.

What color do you think I am?

I don't know. It's dark.

I can't see you.

All right, we'll figure
it out tomorrow.

They filed a police report.

So, Martin's all right?

Yeah, he's fine.

I mean, he's upset over
what happened, but he's fine.

Well, he should be
upset. I know I'd be upset.

Me, too.

Can you believe that
someone would write that?

No.

That's terrible.

And it's scary to think that
he might know the person

and just have no
idea that they're a...

So I think there
Dumas was saying

that sometimes we
find ourselves in a prison

we think we can't escape.

And it's up to us
to find a way out?

Simon?

Uh, yeah.

You were saying that

Martin might not
know that someone

he thinks he knows is a r*cist?

Right.

Maybe we should
talk about this later.

Why?

You're right.

I wonder how many people we
all know who are secretly r*cist.

That's interesting, but,
uh, I have to go study.

I've been on the phone
way too much tonight.

Well, I called you for a reason.

I need help with my Sojourner
Truth report, remember?

Could you ask Rose
or Sandy if maybe

they've ever done any research
on her or wrote a paper on her?

Maybe I could get a
bibliography from them.

Okay, sure, um,

I'll talk to them and
I'll call you back, okay?

Bye.

Talk to us?

About what?

Is this about Martin?

No, Ruthie just needed
help with a paper.

Aw, and she called
her big brother.

That's so cute.

Unless you're just
passing it off on us.

What's it about?

What's what about? The paper?

Oh, um, Sojourner Truth.

Who?

Uh, she's a black woman...

and a-a great American...

African-American.

You have no idea either, do you?

What?

You think because I'm
black I know who she is?

No, no, Maya, I
wasn't saying that.

It was just...

Because you looked
at me when you said it,

so I assumed that you assumed...

I wasn't assuming anything.

I don't even know
who Sojourner Truth is,

even though I guess I should.

I know who she is.

I always wrote my papers on her.

But what does any of
this have to do with Martin?

Martin? Nothing.

Nothing?! I heard you
ask if he was all right.

Oh, um, Ruthie had said

that, um... someone had
written something on his car.

Something about me?

No, nothing like that.

What, I'm supposed to
know what they wrote?

Great, now I'm
black and a psychic.

No, it's just that...

it was something
of a r*cist nature.

Reverend Camden!

Oh, Mrs. Porter, hi.

Are you here to see me?

Uh, I'm here to
see the principal.

Not about the
assignment, I hope.

Uh, as a matter
of fact, yes, I am.

You, too.

I'm shocked you would
have a problem with it.

About the
assignment? Oh... no...

I'm here to talk
to the principal

about what happened
to Martin's car...

Because of the
assignment, I'm guessing.

Oh, well, she's at a
conference all week,

and the vice principal
Mr. Medlock is in charge.

You'll have to deal with him.

Fine... I don't know
if you're aware,

but Martin's car was
vandalized yesterday.

Oh, I heard; everybody heard.

It's the talk of the school.

I just came from
Mr. Medlock's office.

He's asking me to
back off the assignment.

Because...?

Parents are calling to complain.

The police have
even gotten involved.

Mr. Medlock is afraid that maybe

the assignment has become
more trouble than it's worth.

So... are you backing off?

To tell you the truth,
I don't really want to.

It's terrible what
happened to Martin,

but if this assignment led
to this kind of response,

maybe it's even more
important than I thought.

And then maybe it's
important for Mr. Medlock

to hear from a parent who
supports what you're doing.

Let's talk.

Hey, man.

I'm sorry I got
you into all this.

Why should you be
sorry? You didn't write it.

I still feel bad.

But I'm glad you're on my side.

Look, I'm not on a side.

Look at your back window.

I hate to break it to you,

but whoever wrote
that put you on a side.

I didn't ask for this.

No, you didn't, and it never
should have happened, but...

No, it shouldn't have,

and it definitely shouldn't
have happened to me.

Oh, so you think it should
have happened to me?

No... I didn't say that.

Why does everybody keep
putting words in my mouth?

Nice car.

Hey, Brad, you know
anything about this?

Well... my dad told me a story

about this guy who wrote a
bunch of stuff on his own car

just to get some attention.

Is that what you're
doing, Martin?

You looking for some attention?

No, I'm not.

But I am gonna
catch whoever did this.

That sounds like a thr*at.

Are you saying that I did it?

Look, I'm just saying that
whoever did it is a coward

and I'm gonna catch him and
I'm gonna make him clean it up.

How you going to do
that, Martin Loser King?

Just curious, did you do this?

Do you think I did this?

Are you accusing
me of doing this?

Because that sounds
like reverse racism to me.

What's going on here?

Nothing. BRAD: Nothing.

Martin... I know
that you're upset

and I know that you want
to find out who did this.

So do we, but we can't
allow you to keep your car

on school property
in this condition.

I didn't put it in
this condition.

I'm going to find
out who did it.

You really shouldn't accuse people
of things when you have no proof.

This car has become a
disruption for the students.

I need you to
remove it immediately.

But Mr. Medlock...

And don't bring it back here

until you've cleaned it up.

Look, I'm not moving my car

until whoever did this
washes off what they wrote.

If you do not remove your
car from this parking lot,

I'm going to have no choice
but to have it towed away.

MR. MEDLOCK: Back! Move back!

Everybody, everybody, move back!

Get out of the
way, out of the way!

Everybody, move back!

Keep out of the way!

Come on.

You're really going
to tow my car?

I warned you, Martin;
you've left me no choice.

This is the car...

This one right here.

Sir, look, I haven't
done anything wrong.

Please don't do this.

Sorry, son, I'm
just doing my job.

They call me to tow a car, I
tow a car... nothing personal.

But, sir, please, why
should I be punished

because somebody did this to me?

Look, look...

Now, that... that
there is personal.

(winch whirring)

What are you doing?

I'm not moving it.

The boy's got a point.

Look, I'm not
interested in politics.

That's not politics.

That's good old-
fashioned racism.

Oh, believe me,
it offends me, too,

but my job is to keep
order at this school

while our principal is away,

and I need you to tow that car.

I'm sorry, I just can't.

You'll have to call
somebody else.

You don't know how much
I appreciate your support.

We'll just make it clear to
Mr. Medlock that there are

some parents who
see this issue differently.

But what if something
else happens?

I can't say for sure

that something else
isn't going to happen,

but we do know for sure

that if you don't go through
with this assignment,

something has already happened,

and whoever wrote that awful
thing on Martin's car has won.

Dad, I'm glad you're still here.

There's a problem with
Martin in the parking lot.

Hurry.

Well, the kid should just have
been able to give his report.

Why should he get
special treatment?

Martin Brewer should have
minded his own business.

No matter what, it
wasn't right for some r*cist

to write that on his car.

That's enough! Stop this!

(clamoring)

(shouting)

Okay, Luce, I'm
turning it on right now.

Simon, what are you doing?

We're studying.

Is that Martin?

TV REPORTER: You took a
stand so that your classmate

could give a speech
on Martin Luther King.

Was it worth it?

Um, I really didn't do anything.

Good old Martin,
always doing things

he doesn't want
to take credit for.

Well, some are saying that
you're a hero and humble to boot.

(chuckles)

For the last time,
I'm not a hero.

I'm not being modest;
I didn't do anything.

That's the baby's father?

That's the one.

He seems like a
pretty good guy to me,

standing up for the
brother man like that.

Simon, maybe you should
get Martin to help Ruthie

with her report on
Sojourner Truth.

I know who Sojourner Truth is.

Unbelievable.

Why, because I'm white?

(phone rings)

Hello.

What are we going
to do about this mess

down at the high school?

Mrs. Bink, could you
turn down your TV?

Sorry, I was just
watching the news,

and we have to do
something about it.

Yes, I completely agree with...

What are the police
doing about it?

Isn't that husband
of yours a cop?

Let me speak to him.

Kevin isn't a police
officer anymore.

Uh, he stays home with Savannah.

Oh, that's right.

Y-You're a reverend

and he stays home and
takes care of the kid, huh?

Yes, that works for us.

Yeah, well, you know,

it's funny how things
change and others don't,

like this thing at the school.

See, I'm old enough to see
how these things can go, honey.

You can't sit by and do nothing.

So what are you going to do?

What are we going to do?

What are we going to do?!

What about pink?

No.

Peach?

No, not really.

Dad, what color is this?

Well, it's, uh, "banana mania."

What about banana mania?

I don't think so. What
are you guys doing?

We want to know
what color we are.

Do you know?

Well, when people say color,

you know, they
don't really mean...

What they mean... uh,
hmm... Not that it should matter

because what, you
know, what matters is

what's on the
inside; who you are.

But to answer your
question, you're... we're white.

I don't think so.

We already checked that one.

Well, guys, it's a little
more complicated than that.

Alex, this is my dad

and my little brothers
Sam and David.

Hi. Hi.

Eric Camden. Nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you, too, sir.

Thanks for coming over.

Please, have a seat.

Uh, guys, could you
take your crayons upstairs

'cause I need to talk to Alex.

So it looks like things have
spun a little out of control.

Yes, sir, they have.

That's why I asked Ruthie
if maybe you could help.

Oh, sure.

I'm-I'm more than happy
to do whatever I can.

I'm just curious
about this report.

I have a feeling I don't
know all your reasons

for wanting to
speak about Dr. King.

(organ playing)

Hi, Reverend Camden.

Hey, thanks for coming, Martin.

I'm so glad you could
make it. Thank you.

My wife thought we should
accept your invitation.

Good morning, Reverend.

Mrs. Bink, it's so
good to see you.

I'm glad I'm here.

Mrs. Bink, what color are you?

Oh, boys, leave Mrs. Bink...

It's okay. What color...

You want to know
what color I am?

Well, that's a tough one.

Let me see, I guess...

When I'm sad, I'm blue.

And when I'm mad, I'm red.

And... when I'm jealous,

I'm green with envy.

And, uh...

now that I'm at my age, see, uh,

all anybody notices
is that I'm turning gray.

Good morning.

Well, this week, our
community has been tested.

I know that many of
you saw what happened

at Kennedy High
School on the local news,

and you heard the
echoes of hatred

that we thought were long past.

I think...

part of what led to that event

is that we haven't
been listening

to what's going on around us.

So, this morning, no
matter how you may feel,

I'm asking that everyone listen.

Alex, would you
come up here, please?

This is Alex.

He goes to school with
my daughter Ruthie.

Alex was assigned a
report on a great American.

And he chose the Reverend
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,

and it seems that his choice

may be at the center

of all this controversy.

I think it's very important
that he get a chance

to explain...

why he made his decision.

Please, listen.

Thank you, Reverend Camden.

I know a lot of you
may be thinking,

"Didn't Martin Luther
King Day already pass?"

And who hasn't
already heard clips

from the "I Have A
Dream" speech this year?

But I know there's more to
the dream than black and white.

I know that the dream
still lives every day.

I know that because
that's what my grandfather,

Henry Bullock, taught me.

My grandfather was
a sanitation worker...

in Memphis.

In , he went on strike

with over a thousand
of his coworkers.

It was hard for them.

On April , ,

my grandfather sat in a
crowded Mason Temple

and listened to Dr. King,

who had come to support
the sanitation workers.

Dr. King did his

"I've Been to the
Mountaintop" speech.

My grandfather said
that they were all inspired,

not only by the
words of Dr. King,

but by the fact that a man
like Dr. King would come

and take the time to care

about the suffering of a
bunch of garbage men.

The next day...

a sn*per's b*llet
took Dr. King from us.

I lived with my
grandfather in New Orleans.

This summer, Hurricane Katrina
took my grandfather from me.

The victims of
Hurricane Katrina may...

may have fallen
from the headlines,

but I will never
forget their suffering.

It is my job now to
keep the dream alive.

That's all I was trying to do.

Alex, I'm, uh...

I'm really sorry about
your grandfather.

I lost my grandfather, too.

I'm sorry.

You must miss him.

Yeah.

ALEX: I miss my
grandfather, too.

Your grandfather
sounds like quite a man.

I'm sure he would
be very proud of you.

I don't think he'd be so proud

of the way I behaved
in the parking lot.

Fighting's no way
to make a point

about a man who
stood for nonviolence.

I...

I never had anything
against Martin Luther King.

It's just that I had
already done my report...

on George Washington.

George Washington?!

Again?

You okay, Alex?

Yeah.

Martin, I-I want you to know,

I didn't do it.

I didn't do that to your car.

Good. But somebody did.

That means we all have a
lot of work to do, every day.

Where do we start?

I'm gonna start
by washing my car.

Good idea.

Yeah, but...

I have an even better idea.

I told you this would
be a great fund-raiser.

My report is on Sojourner Truth,

who was born a sl*ve and
became an American abolitionist,

and a prominent figure in
the women's rights movement.

Benjamin Banneker.

In , Benjamin
Banneker was hired

to survey the
District of Columbia.

A year later, he
published his first almanac

for Maryland, Delaware,
Pennsylvania and Virginia.

Lewis Latimer
had the bright idea

to improve the production
of lightbulb filaments,

creating longer lasting
lightbulbs than Thomas Edison.

Before Rosa Parks,
there was Ida B. Wells,

a journalist and pioneer in the
antisegregationist movement.

Thurgood Marshall.

Before becoming the first

African-American Supreme
Court Justice, argued the landmark

Brown v. Board of
Education case in .

Frederick Douglass,
an American abolitionist,

was one of the most
influential lecturers and authors

in all of American history.

Captured and sold
in her native Senegal,

Phillis Wheatley would
become the first prominent

African-American author.

My report is on George
Washington... Carver.

He was a great American.