RIP Coretta Scott King

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Coretta was simply called Home by Martin. She had done all on this earth that she was meant to do.

May the King Center resolve its differences and come out of this tragedy for our nation more fully united. :up:



I was in Atlanta in January 2004 when Bono was at the King Center and I was at the press conference barely five feet away from these two precious souls when Bono's voice cracked and exclaimed how glad he was that Coretta had "adopted" him that day.

Bono said it felt really good since it had been thirty years since he last had a mother.

And the beautiful thing was that Bono and Mrs. King meant every word that they said - their love and affection for each other was written all over their faces.

I will always feel privileged to have witnessed this most beautiful vibe between Bono and Coretta Scott King.

Here is the link to my report from the King Center two years ago:


http://forum.interference.com/t87631.html



I hope you gather something very special and powerful from it.



SLEEP TONIGHT AND MAY YOUR DREAMS BE REALIZED. :angel:
 
larryslass said:
Thanks for that Jamilla.
Click to expand...

It's my honor to remember the special relationship between these two amazing and superlative souls.

You're welcome, larryslass. ;)
 
[q]"I still hear people say that I should not be talking about the rights of lesbian and gay people, and I should stick to the issue of racial justice. But I hasten to remind them that Martin Luther King Jr. said 'Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.' I appeal to everyone who believes in Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream to make room at the table of brother- and sisterhood for lesbian and gay people.

Homophobia is like racism and anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry in that it seeks to dehumanize a large group of people, to deny their humanity, their dignity and personhood. This sets the stage for further repression and violence, that spreads all too easily to victimize the next minority group.

Gays and lesbians stood up for civil rights in Montgomery, Selma, in Albany, Georgia, and St. Augustine, Florida, and many other campaigns of the civil rights movement. Many of these courageous men and women were fighting for my freedom at a time when they could find few voices for their own, and I salute their contributions." - Coretta Scott King
[/q]
 
By SHANNON McCAFFREY, Associated Press Writer

Thousands of mourners poured into the Georgia Capitol Rotunda on Saturday to pay tribute to Coretta Scott King, the first woman and the first black person to lie in honor in what once was once a seat of segregation.

The bronze casket carrying the widow of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was carried through the streets of Atlanta on a horse-drawn carriage before being ushered into the Capitol by an honor guard of the Georgia State Patrol. The crowd outside cheered and threw roses as the casket went by.

A lone bagpiper played "Amazing Grace" as Gov. Sonny Perdue and his wife Mary escorted the casket into the statehouse, a sharp contrast to the official snub afforded Martin Luther King Jr. nearly four decades ago by segregationist Gov. Lester Maddox.

..............In 1968, then-Gov. Maddox ignored Martin Luther King Jr.'s death and refused to authorize a public tribute. He was outraged at the idea of state flags, then dominated by the Confederate Cross, flying at half-staff in tribute to a black man.

But immediately after Coretta Scott King died, the state flag she helped to change — no longer bearing the Confederate battle emblem — was ordered lowered by Perdue.
 
By ERRIN HAINES, Associated Press Writer 35 minutes ago

Four U.S. presidents joined more than 10,000 mourners Tuesday in saying goodbye to Coretta Scott King, praised by President Bush as "one of the most admired Americans of our time."

"I've come today to offer the sympathy of our entire nation at the passing of a woman who worked to make our nation whole," President Bush told King's four children and the crowd that filled New Birth Missionary Baptist Church for the funeral of the widow of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

"Coretta Scott King not only secured her husband's legacy, she built her own," Bush said. "Having loved a leader, she became a leader, and when she spoke, Americans listened closely."

Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin stressed that King spoke out, not just against racism, but about "the senselessness of war and the solutions for poverty."

"She sang for liberation, she sang for those who had no earthly reason to sing a song," with a voice that was heard "from the tintop roofs of Soweto to the bomb shelters of Baghdad," Franklin said.

Former President Carter echoed that theme of a peaceful struggle for justice in a service that grew increasing political as other leaders questioned what the Bush administration was doing to continue the Kings' dream.

The Rev. Joseph Lowery, who co-founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference with Martin Luther King Jr., spoke directly to the current administration's foreign and domestic policies.

"Our marvelous presidents and governors come to mourn and praise ... but in the morning will words become deeds that meet need?" Lowery asked.

"For war, billions more, but no more for the poor," he said, in a take-off of a lyric from Stevie Wonder's song "A Time to Love," which drew a roaring standing ovation. The comments drew head shakes from Bush and his father as they sat behind the pulpit.

Coretta Scott King, who carried on her husband's dream of equality for nearly 40 years after his death, died Jan. 30 at the age of 78 after battling ovarian cancer and the effects of a stroke.

The Kings' youngest child, Bernice, a minister at the megachurch, was to give the eulogy. She was 5 when her father was assassinated in 1968 and is perhaps best remembered for the photographs of her lying in her black-veiled mother's lap during her father's funeral.

Former Presidents Clinton and Bush, poet Maya Angelou and the Kings' children were also among the more than three dozen speakers during the funeral.

"I don't want us to forget that there's a woman in there, not a symbol," Clinton said, standing behind King's flower-covered casket. "A real woman who lived and breathed and got angry and got hurt and had dreams and disappointments."

Angelou spoke of King as a sister with whom she shared her pain and laughter.

"Those of us who have gathered here, ... we owe something from this minute on, so this gathering is not just another footnote on the pages of history," Angelou said.

"I mean to say I want to see a better world. I mean to say I want to see some peace somewhere," she said to roaring applause.
 
I thought Bono might attend, maybe he had to be at the Grammies rehearsal or somewhere else. I'm sure he did his best to be there :)

King eulogists jab Bush at funeral


Speakers took a rare opportunity to criticize U.S. President George W. Bush's policies to his face at the funeral on Tuesday of Coretta Scott King, widow of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.

Civil-rights leader the Rev. Joseph Lowery and former President Jimmy Carter cited Mrs. King's legacy as a leader in her own right and advocate of nonviolence as they launched barbs over the Iraq war, government social policies and Bush's domestic eavesdropping program.

Bush sat watching the long service before an audience of 10,000 including politicians, civil rights leaders and entertainers at the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, and a national cable television audience.

Lowery, former head of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, which King helped found in 1957, gave a playful reading of a poem in eulogy of Mrs. King.

"She extended Martin's message against poverty, racism and war / She deplored the terror inflicted by our smart bombs on missions way afar," he said.

"We know now there were no weapons of mass destruction over there / But Coretta knew and we knew that there are weapons of misdirection right down here / Millions without health insurance. Poverty abounds. For war billions more but no more for the poor."

The mourners gave a standing ovation. Bush's reaction could not be seen on the television coverage, but after Lowery finished speaking, the president shook his hand and laughed.
 
Did you see the reaction Clinton got when he came to the podium, wow! That was one of the most uplifting interesting celebrations of a person's life I have ever seen.
 
Mrs King will be sadly missed but I believe that she is with her beloved husband now.Thank you Jamila for sharing.:)
 
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