What if MLK Ran for President? Children Imagine What His Campaign Speeches Might Be Like

Each year, elementary students in Houston and Dallas are invited to give speeches in the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Oratory Competitions.

This year, the kids were tasked with giving speeches as if the late Dr. King were running for president today. Here, we hear excerpts from the competition's top three winners, respectively: fifth grader Richard Espinosa-Garza of Cornelius Elementary, fifth grader Kyle Mosley of Whidby Elementary and Brandalyn Thompson from Pleasantville Elementary.

The music you’ll hear is from Houston-born jazz musician Jason Moran, who recorded the song, called Cager Lee, for the soundtrack of the movie Selma.

(Above: From left to right: Brandalyn Thompson, third place winner; Kyle Mosley, second place winner; and Richard Espinoza-Garza, first place winner. They pose with Claude Treece, an attorney with Houston-based Gardere law firm. Image Courtesy: Kim Coffman.)

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Audio Postcard: What Would Martin Luther King Jr Say If Running For President (News 88.7, Jan. 18, 2016)