Nancy Churnin - Martin & Anne: The Kindred Spirits of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Anne Frank

Text copyright 2019 Nancy Churnin

Illustrations copyright 2019 Yevgenia Nayberg

Book design by Simon Stahl

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publisher, Creston Books, LLC.

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Published by Creston Books, LLC

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Printed and bound in China

For those whose lives were cut short everywhere,

including Bialystok June 27, 1941.

Your memory is a blessing. Love lives on.

N.C.

To my parents.

Y.N.

By Nancy Churnin

The Kindred Spirits of

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Anne Frank

Illustrated by

Yevgenia Nayberg

In 1929, two babies were born on opposite sides of the ocean. They never met. They didnt even speak the same language. But their hearts beat with the same hope.

On January 15, Martins father, mother, and older sister beamed at their beautiful baby in Atlanta, Georgia.

On June 12, Annes father, mother, and older sister cooed at their beautiful baby in Frankfurt, Germany.

But not everyone thought Martin and Anne were beautiful. When Martin was old enough to go to school, he had to go to a different one than his best friend because his skin was dark. Even worse, his friend stopped playing with him. Martins skin hadnt changed. But suddenly, his friend cared when he hadnt before. That made no sense!

When Anne was ready for school, Adolf Hitler, the leader of the Nazi party, was elected to lead Germany. Jewish children like Anne were no longer allowed in public schools. Annes family fled Germany for Holland, but when Hitler invaded Holland, anti-Jewish laws followed. Annes school closed its doors to her. Suddenly, her friends didnt want to play with her anymore.

Everywhere Martin went, he saw signs that said Whites Only. He wasnt welcome in public parks, swimming pools, or restaurants. Martin didnt think that was fair.

Everywhere Anne went, she had to wear a yellow Star of David that let people know she was Jewish. She couldnt buy ice cream or go to a movie. Every day, more signs blared, No Jews Allowed. Her father couldnt sell to non-Jewish customers. Nazis burned books by Jewish authors.

When Martin was 13, he won a speech competition, talking about black and white children playing together in harmony. He wondered if the right words could one day change unfair laws.

When Anne was 13, she got a diary for her birthday. She was happy she could share her most private thoughts with Kitty, the name she gave her journal. But soon after she began writing, Jews were rounded up and sent to death camps. Anne

and her family hid in the attic over her fathers business. They had to be very quiet. They couldnt go outside. Trapped in the attic, Anne described how beautiful the world outside was, how light could brighten the deepest darkness.

Martin finished high school at Most colleges were for whites only, so he went to Morehouse College, a school for black students. There he learned about the Indian leader

Mahatma Gandhi and how he won rights for his people using peaceful protests. Could the same thing work in America? Martin decided to become a minister who would lead his

people to stand up for justice.

Anne, hidden in the attic, continued her studies as best she could. And every day, she wrote in her diary about her dreams for a better world. Even with all the hate around her, Anne believed that people were really good at heart.

When Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her bus seat to a white man, Martin, now a minister, organized protest marches. He gave speeches. He told people not to ride the buses until everyone was treated fairly.

Martin shared his dream of a world where all were truly considered equal. His words gave people courage and strength.

While Martin grew older, Annes 15th year was her last. The Nazis stormed Annes hiding place. They arrested her family and the friends hiding with them. Annes diary was left behind, pages scattering on the floor of the dusty attic.

But she still believed in the power of simple acts of kindness.