To help celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., students from Acton Academy in Palm Beach participated in a field trip to Raptis Rare Books on Monday to view a special presentation and experience several historic MLK Jr. artifacts exhibited on-site. Matthew Raptis, the founder of Raptis Rare Books, conducted an MLK presentation for students with a question-and-answer session following the memorabilia viewing.
Artifacts on display included:
• First edition autographed copy of Dr. MLK Jr.’s first book: Stride Toward Freedom
• First edition autographed copy of his second book: Strength to Love, lengthily inscribed by MLK Jr.
• Typed and signed letter from MLK Jr. requesting housing upon his acceptance to Boston University Grad School (1951)
• First edition of his book Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community? Inscribed by MLK Jr.
• Several other historic Civil Rights Movement pieces
Acton Academy is a new micro-school that focuses on hands-on and experiential learning to help them explore, create and grow to develop the character, knowledge, and skills needed for the real world. Tyson Junkers, the founder of Acton Academy Palm Beach, moved to South Florida with his wife and two children from New Jersey during the pandemic, and when they could not find a school they liked for their children, they started their own.
