Read what the people who knew the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. thought of him and the civil rights movement in Voices: Reflections on an American Icon Through Words and Song.
The book includes locals Darryl R. Matthews Sr., general president of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., and the Rev. Marcus Garvey Wood, pastor of Providence Baptist Church, who was a classmate of King's at Crozer Theological Seminary.
Others who marched with King and share in his legacy, including Julian Bond, Dorothy Height and Nikki Giovanni, also reflect on the times and share their thoughts about the man, who was assassinated in Memphis, Tenn., on April 4, 1968.
The book includes a CD by the Choral Arts Society of Washington, who perform "Goin' Up to Glory," "Lift Every Voice and Sing" and King's favorite hymn, "Precious Lord, Take My Hand."
The book-CD box set can be purchased for $24.99 at Borders, Costco and Barnes and Noble, or by going to mlkvoices.com.
Toying with history
Why would anyone give up a lucrative job as an attorney for a D.C. law firm to make toys?
Ask Sterling T. Ashby, who in 2004 did just that.
Today he's using his passion for history and toys to make historical African-American figures into educational figurines.
Last year, he developed the first three of a collection of 10 action figures: Matthew Henson, Bessie Coleman and Benjamin Banneker.
Henson of rural Maryland was the first African-American explorer to make it to the North Pole.Coleman of Texas was the first African-American to become a licensed airplane pilot.
Banneker of Maryland was the first African-American scientist, astronomer and clockmaker, and was credited for laying out the District of Columbia.
Asby decided on these three because they were trailblazers.
The idea for his company, History In Action Toys, came to him more than three years ago when he couldn't find educational toys to buy for a friend's child.
The action figures are $24.95 each. They can be purchased at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture and the National Great Blacks in Wax Museum or at hiatoys.com.