It's Martin Luther King Day

Each year in school they study Martin Luther King.
And every year Isaiah messes up some pivotal fact about MLK.
Last year he told me Mr. King was killed by JFK and no matter what I said he would say "that's what they told us in school". I even showed him James Earl Ray on the Internet and still "that's not what they told us in school". I emailed his teacher and asked why she was teaching my son that MLK was killed by JFK and she called me laughing and said she did NOT teach that. Between the two of us we got him straightened out. Apparently he just heard snippets of that lesson!
This year he asked me "mom wouldn't it have been scary then? People bombing kids in their houses and at church!"
Once he and I were talking about MLK, he thinks MLK made a law saying that blacks and white can be friends, or something like that. He said he sure was glad that MLK made that law or he and Austin couldn't be friends.
I was trying to explain what it was like once, when blacks weren't allowed to drink from the same fountain, eat at the same restaurants etc... and Isaiah said "Mom, that's just silly" and he's right! That's a hard thing to explain to your kids. Trying to tell him about prejudice once I told him there were people who were afraid of black people simply because they're black and he said "Mooooomm, Mooooom! You're just kidding aren't you!? Why would anyone be afraid of Austin or James?"
For a long time Isaiah didn't even know that when someone said a person was black that they were talking about their skin. He thought they were talking about their shirts! Once we were at a McDonald's and Austin's Dad, who is a 6ft black man, was coming to get pick him up. Well Austin was the only one who saw his Dad pull in and he just up and jumped out of his seat and ran out the door. Isaiah got up and followed him to the door but then came back and when Austin's mom asked where Austin was Isaiah said "In the parking lot with some tall white guy" She jumped out of her chair to go see who in the heck had her son when Austin and his dad (wearing a white t-shirt) walked in the door. We all started laughing.
I've never used the word "race" to describe any one different than us. I myself was over 20 before I realised people considered Hispanic people to be a different race! I just considered them from different heritage I guess or ethnic back ground, which to me is more about their traditions and such than anything. I still don't get why Jewish people are considered different, that's a religion, we all had Jewish ancestors. Jesus was Jewish.
I must add that I've tried to tell Isaiah this presidential inauguration is historic, and he knows Barack Obama will be the first black president, but I don't think he understands why that is such a big deal. I want him to know history and know how hard it's been for blacks but I'm also glad that in his mind it's no big deal. He doesn't see why a person can do anything they want to and not be limited by the color of their skin.
Anyway, I hope to raise my kids to be open minded and accepting. To know just because we don't understand something or something isn't like us doesn't make it wrong. I want to do my part to make MLK's dream come true.