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�PAGE
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2ND STORY o f Level 1 p r i n t e d i n FULL f o r m a t .
C o p y r i g h t 1993 I n t e r Press S e r v i c e
I n t e r Press S e r v i c e
November 16, 1993, Tuesday
LENGTH: 517 words
HEADLINE:
UNITED STATES: CORETTA SCOTT KING APPEALS FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE
DATELINE: NEW YORK, Nov. 16
BODY:
The w i f e o f t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s ' most prominent c i v i l r i g h t s l e a d e r today
c a l l e d on t h e n a t i o n t o c e l e b r a t e h i s b i r t h d a y as a day o f community s e r v i c e .
C o r e t t a S c o t t King, w i f e o f s l a i n b l a c k l e a d e r Dr. M a r t i n Luther King J r . ,
i m p l o r e d U.S. c i t i z e n s t o observe t h e King h o l i d a y t h e way i t was o r i g i n a l l y
i n t e n d e d -- as a day o f peace and u n i t y f o r people o f a l l races and backgrounds.
She t o l d r e p o r t e r s a t t h e U n i t e d Nations t h a t U.S. c i t i z e n s should s e t aside
the t h i r d Monday i n January -- t h e n a t i o n a l h o l i d a y commemorating King's b i r t h
-- t o .work on community-oriented programs on issues from e d u c a t i o n t o
homelessness.
' •
•
" ^
King, whose husband l e d t h e U.S. c i v i l r i g h t s movement u n t i l h i s 1968
a s s a s s i n a t i o n , s a i d t h a t s i n c e t h e Jan. 15 n a t i o n a l h o l i d a y was d e c l a r e d i n
1984, t h e day has come t o be p e r c e i v e d as a s o l e l y A f r i c a n - A m e r i c a n observance.
But King argued t h a t t h e h o l i d a y "belongs n o t t o one c o u n t r y o r one people,
but t o everybody everywhere." Consequently, she s a i d , t h e day so f a r has n o t
been "where i t should be, where we want i t t o be and where i t can be."
I n s t e a d , she contended, t h e h o l i d a y should n o t be seen as "another day o f f
f o r r e c r e a t i o n " -- which she c l a i m s Dr. King would have d e t e s t e d
b u t one o f
community s e r v i c e . " M a r t i n L u t h e r King J r . would be d i s t u r b e d i f he knew t h a t
people took t h e day o f f t o r e | f i "
~
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of
She noted t h a t her l a t e husband s a i d years ago, " A l l you need i s a h e a r t f u l l
grace and a s o u l f u l l o f l o v e t o serve."
The M a r t i n Luther King, J r . Federal H o l i d a y Commission, on whose b e h a l f she
was speaking, wants t h e day t o be seen as a " u n i f y i n g f o r c e b o t h n a t i o n a l l y and
i n t e r n a t i o n a l l y , b r i n g i n g people t o g e t h e r from a l l walks o f l i f e from a l l over
the w o r l d . "
C o r e t t a S c o t t King a l s o s a i d t h a t her p r o p o s a l s t o change t h e c e l e b r a t i o n o f
King Day by emphasizing community s e r v i c e c o u l d h e l p s t r e n g t h e n P r e s i d e n t B i l l
C l i n t o n ' s e f f o r t s t o enact a N a t i o n a l S e r v i c e A c t .
One o f C l i n t o n ' s e l e c t i o n pledges was t o reward college-bound s t u d e n t s f o r
p u t t i n g i n s e v e r a l years o f community-oriented s e r v i c e b y r e i m b u r s i n g t h e i r
c o l l e g e t u i t i o n -- something he c a l l e d a domestic v e r s i o n o f t h e U.S. Peace
Corps.
�PAGE
3
I n t e r Press S e r v i c e , November 16, 1993
But King o b j e c t e d t o o t h e r p r o p o s a l s by C l i n t o n , most n o t a b l y the p r e s i d e n t ' s
a t t e m p t t o invoke her husband's name l a s t week when he c r i t i c i z e d the U.S. b l a c k
community f o r urban crime and v i o l e n c e .
"What P r e s i d e n t C l i n t o n s a i d i s what we a l l understand, but I wish he had
remembered what Dr. King had s a i d " about the need t o a l l e v i a t e the p o v e r t y and
s o c i a l c o n d i t i o n s t h a t cause i n n e r - c i t y c o n f l i c t s , she argued.
She r e c a l l e d t h a t Dr. King, i n h i s l a t e r years, had l e d a poor people's
campaign t o a l l e v i a t e t h e unemployment, homelessness, crime and d e s p a i r t h a t
a f f l i c t e d l o w e r - c l a s s U.S. communities.
"You can't t a l k about v i o l e n c e and crime w i t h o u t t a l k i n g about the r o o t
causes," h i s .wife s a i d i n summing up h i s views.
Since 1990, t h e M a r t i n L u t h e r King J r . Federal H o l i d a y Commission has
r e c e i v e d $300,000 a year from the government, b u t King s a i d the money was n o t
enough t o engage i n t h e k i n d o f work i t would l i k e t o do.
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
LOAD-DATE: November 17, 1993
�PAGE
2ND
STORY of Level 1 p r i n t e d i n FULL format.
Copyright 1998 Time I n c .
People
June 22, 1998
SECTION: UP FRONT; Pg. 4 6
LENGTH: 1529
words
HEADLINE: Dream Keeper;
C o r e t t a S c o t t King sought t o f u l f i l l her husband's v i s i o n
BYLINE: R i c h a r d Jerome, W i t h R e p o r t i n g By G a i l Cameron Wescott, Garry C l i f f o r d ,
Jane Sims Podesta, Sandra McElwaine, J e n n i f e r Longley, Mark Dagostino, E l i z a b e t h
Velez, Don S i d e r , E l i z a b e t h McNeil and Linda Kramer
BODY:
C o r e t t a S c o t t King s t i l l has the red c a r n a t i o n s her husband sent her i n March
1968, kept s a f e l y i n her home on Sunset Avenue i n A t l a n t a — t h e same o n e - s t o r y
b r i c k house she shared w i t h him and t h e i r f o u r c h i l d r e n . "What was so s t r a n g e
was t h a t he always sent me f r e s h f l o w e r s , and these were a r t i f i c i a l , " says
C o r e t t a , 71. "When I asked why, M a r t i n s a i d he wanted me t o have something I
c o u l d keep, almost as i f he knew they would have t o l a s t a v e r y l o n g t i m e . "
Three weeks l a t e r , on t h e evening o f A p r i l 4, C o r e t t a was a t home when t h e
phone rang. I t was Jesse Jackson--who had accompanied M a r t i n t o Memphis, where
he had gone i n support o f s a n i t a t i o n workers s t r i k i n g f o r b e t t e r c o n d i t i o n s .
"Jesse s a i d M a r t i n had been shot and t o l d me t o t a k e 'the next t h i n g smoking' t o
Memphis," says C o r e t t a . But her husband would d i e b e f o r e she c o u l d get t o a
plane. A t t h e t i m e , she says, she c o u l d n ' t h e l p but remember what M a r t i n had
t o l d her a f t e r P r e s i d e n t Kennedy's a s s a s s i n a t i o n i n 1963: " 'That's e x a c t l y
what's going t o happen t o me.' So we knew. My p r a y e r became t h a t when i t d i d
happen, the c h i l d r e n would be o l d enough t o remember him."
L i v i n g up t o t h e memory and the m i s s i o n o f t h e Rev. Dr. M a r t i n Luther King
Jr. has been h i s f a m i l y ' s purpose from the moment he was s l a i n on the balcony o f
the L o r r a i n e M o t e l . And C o r e t t a King d i d n ' t d e l a y . The day b e f o r e her husband's
f u n e r a l i n A t l a n t a , she f i e " ^ MPTT^i
^Hri o q,q_rhe""same s t r i k i n g warKSfg "fte
had come t o a s s i s t . " I would fihal lenge yon today t o see t h a t h i s S p i r i t i m v e f dies,- —s-he—SlTid. ' W are going t o c o n t i n u e h i s work t o make a l l people t r u l y
'e
free."
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11
Over the past 30 years, C o r e t t a , aside from f a c i n g the c h a l l e n g e s o f b e i n g a
s i n g l e mother w i t h f o u r c h i l d r e n , has remained a dynamic f i g u r e i n t h e s t r u g g l e
f o r c i v i l r i g h t s . She has made hundreds o f speeches, l e d marches, r a i s e d funds
and met w i t h human r i g h t s and p o l i t i c a l l e a d e r s around the w o r l d . She
o r c h e s t r a t e d a 15-year e f f o r t t h a t c u l m i n a t e d i n 1983, when P r e s i d e n t Reagan
signed a b i l l c r e a t i n g a n a t i o n a l h o l i d a y i n her husband's memory. She j o i n e d
the b a t t l e t o end a p a r t h e i d , l o b b y i n g hard f o r U.S. s a n c t i o n s a g a i n s t South
A f r i c a . And, not c o n f i n i n g h e r s e l f t o r a c i a l i s s u e s , she gave an impassioned
speech i n Chicago i n March d e f e n d i n g gay r i g h t s .
Old f r i e n d s are not s u r p r i s e d by her s t r e n g t h . "She was always more o f an
a c t i v i s t than M a r t i n , " says Andrew Young, 66, who was w i t h King when he d i e d . i ,
,
» •
"Although people didn't realize it, the action part was always difficult for// f l j J l l / )
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People,
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June 22, 1998
him. He wanted t o preach and reason t h i n g s o u t . C o r e t t a wanted t o march."
Much o f her work has focused on t h e M a r t i n Luther King J r . Center f o r
N o n v i o l e n t S o c i a l Change i n A t l a n t a . Begun i n C o r e t t a ' s basement, i t developed
i n t o an i m p r e s s i v e complex, opened i n 1982, near Ebenezer B a p t i s t Church, where
King preached. The c e n t e r , which i n c l u d e s t h e King L i b r a r y and A r c h i v e s
( c o n t a i n i n g a m i l l i o n documents t r a c i n g t h e h i s t o r y o f t h e c i v i l r i g h t s
movement) and King's marble tomb, i s now run by t h e Kings' son Dexter, 37. His
s i b l i n g s have a l s o taken up t h e t o r c h . Yolanda, 42, an a c t r e s s based i n Los
Angeles, speaks w i d e l y on r a c i a l issues a t schools and community groups. M a r t i n
I I I , 40, i s p r e s i d e n t o f t h e Southern C h r i s t i a n Leadership Conference, a post
f i r s t h e l d by h i s f a t h e r . B e r n i c e , 35, i s a lawyer and a B a p t i s t m i n i s t e r whose
e l e c t r i f y i n g speaking s t y l e echoes her f a t h e r ' s . "We're n o t p e r f e c t , " Bernice
says. "But we're sane and we d i d n ' t s e l f - d e s t r u c t . "
C l e a r l y t h e y a r e n o t beyond c r i t i c i s m . The Kings r e c e n t l y drew f i r e f o r t h e i r
support o f King's confessed k i l l e r , James E a r l Ray, i n h i s b i d f o r a t r i a l . Last
June, Dexter suggested on n a t i o n a l TV t h a t t h e a s s a s s i n a t i o n was a government
c o n s p i r a c y i n v o l v i n g P r e s i d e n t Lyndon Johnson. When Ray d i e d on A p r i l 23 w i t h o u t
h i s day i n c o u r t , C o r e t t a c a l l e d i t a t r a g e d y . Some b e l i e v e Ray made dupes o f
the Kings. "The f a m i l y ' s ignorance o f t h e h i s t o r y i s s t u n n i n g , " says David
Garrow, a u t h o r o f t h e P u l i t z e r P r i z e - w i n n i n g King biography Bearing t h e Cross,
who m a i n t a i n s t h a t t h e Kings have o v e r l o o k e d Ray's racism and damning evidence
g a t h e r e d by i n v e s t i g a t o r s .
C r i t i c s a l s o q u e s t i o n t h e f a m i l y ' s h a n d l i n g o f t h e King Center, which i n
r e c e n t years has dropped many o f i t s e d u c a t i o n a l programs and has l i m i t e d
s c h o l a r s ' access t o a r c h i v e s . Dexter says t h a t such judgments a r e premature and
t h a t t h e Center, which may soon be s o l d t o t h e N a t i o n a l Park S e r v i c e , i s " i n
t r a n s i t i o n . " L i k e w i s e t h e f a m i l y b r i d l e s a t c r i t i c i s m f o r b e g i n n i n g i n 1994 t o
l i c e n s e t h e use o f M a r t i n ' s words and image, which some f e e l should be i n t h e
p u b l i c domain. An e d i t o r i a l i n The A t l a n t a C o n s t i t u t i o n charged t h a t t h e
" f a m i l y ' s need t o m a i n t a i n c o n t r o l over h i s legacy and p r o f i t from i t have
d i l u t e d King's i n s p i r a t i o n a l message." Quite t h e c o n t r a r y , answers C o r e t t a : "We
are c o n t r o l l i n g t h e misuse o f i t . "
"We don't want a n y t h i n g l i k e t h e e x p l o i t a t i o n o f Malcolm X — k i d s wearing X
hats w i t h o u t even knowing what they mean," e x p l a i n s B e r n i c e . " I g e t mad when my
mom i s c r i t i c i z e d . Here i s a woman l e f t w i t h f o u r k i d s who c o u l d have gone on
w e l f a r e , because my f a t h e r d i d n ' t r e a l l y leave a n y t h i n g . She chose i n s t e a d t o
keep h i s t e a c h i n g s a l i v e . She d i d n ' t a l l o w my daddy t o become j u s t a name i n
history."
When C o r e t t a f i r s t met M a r t i n L u t h e r King J r . , she c o u l d h a r d l y have foreseen
the h i s t o r i c events t h a t awaited them. Raised i n r u r a l Alabama—she p i c k e d
c o t t o n as a g i r l - - C o r e t t a was an a s p i r i n g c l a s s i c a l s i n g e r , i n graduate school
at t h e New England Conservatory o f Music i n Boston i n 1952, when she g o t a c a l l
one w i n t e r a f t e r n o o n from a Boston U n i v e r s i t y d o c t o r a l c a n d i d a t e named King. "He
said he'd heard good things about me, blah, blah, blah," Coretta says, "and
t a l k e d a l l k i n d s o f j i v e about Napoleon and Waterloo. He s a i d I was h i s
Waterloo, and he was on h i s knees begging t o meet me. I f i g u r e d l u n c h would be
s a f e . " They m a r r i e d i n June 1953, and i n t h e tumultuous years t h a t f o l l o w e d ,
C o r e t t a abandoned her dream o f a c o n c e r t career t o march beside her husband.
/ /
I J / a j 2 J
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People, June 22, 1998
When, years l a t e r , the d r e a d f u l c a l l came from Jesse Jackson, C o r e t t a had
j u s t been out w i t h Yolanda, then 12, shopping f o r Easter dresses. Almost
s i m u l t a n e o u s l y t h e news h i t the airwaves, and Yolanda s t i l l f l i n c h e s when the
words " S p e c i a l B u l l e t i n " f l a s h across a TV screen. "That's how I l e a r n e d t h a t
Daddy had been s h o t , " she says. Dexter, then 7, remembers t h e i r b a b y s i t t e r
s h r i e k i n g i n t h e k i t c h e n . "She was on t h e phone, a t t h a t c o u n t e r r i g h t t h e r e , "
he says, p o i n t i n g . "The next t h i n g we knew, she'd f a i n t e d . " More than 150,000
people jammed A t l a n t a ' s s w e l t e r i n g s t r e e t s f o r the f u n e r a l p r o c e s s i o n . "When we
were w a l k i n g behind the mules and wagon t a k i n g M a r t i n , " C o r e t t a says, "Bernice
looked up and asked, 'Mommy, how i s Daddy going t o eat?' I f e l t so inadequate."
L a t e r t h a t day t h e house on Sunset was crowded w i t h f r i e n d s and t h e famous: B i l l
Cosby, Sammy Davis J r . , W i l t Chamberlain, Hubert Humphrey. When Sidney P o i t i e r
appeared, Yolanda r e c a l l s " a l l t h e l a d i e s i n the house going c r a z y w i t h , l i k e ,
temporary i n s a n i t y . " S t i l l , she adds, "the person t h a t s t i c k s i n my mind i s , o f
a l l people, R i c h a r d Nixon. He looked a t me and s a i d something l i k e , 'You've got
t o be s t r o n g , young l a d y , ' and I remember--!'m not making t h i s u p — f e e l i n g the
i n s i n c e r i t y o f the moment. He was t r y i n g t o be c o m f o r t i n g , and I d i d n ' t f e e l
comforted."
When t h e w e l l - w i s h e r s l e f t , C o r e t t a faced a p r a c t i c a l concern: s u p p o r t i n g her
young f a m i l y . "Think about t h a t , " she says, "a man as i n t e l l i g e n t as M a r t i n
L u t h e r King not l e a v i n g a w i l l , not r e a l i z i n g i t would make t h i n g s e a s i e r f o r
me. M a r t i n s i m p l y d i d not care about money." F o r t u n a t e l y , on b e h a l f o f t h e
f a m i l y , Harry B e l a f o n t e had taken out a $ 50,000 insurance p o l i c y on King's
l i f e . There were a l s o r o y a l t i e s from h i s books and, e v e n t u a l l y , C o r e t t a ' s
a u t o b i o g r a p h y , as w e l l as her speaking f e e s . I n the years t h a t f o l l o w e d , t h e r e
was l i t t l e outward g r i e f . "Mother was a r o c k , " says M a r t i n I I I . "So we a l l t r i e d
t o be r o c k s , t o o . " Indeed, C o r e t t a ' s r e g a l s t r e n g t h i s o f t e n m i s i n t e r p r e t e d ,
a c c o r d i n g t o B e r n i c e . "People say she's a l o o f and untouchable," she says. "She
i s r e a l l y a v e r y warm person. When we're over a t t h e house, she becomes Suzy
Homemaker, warming up soup."
A s t r i c t v e g e t a r i a n , C o r e t t a seems g l o w i n g l y h e a l t h y , aside from some minor
c i r c u l a t o r y t r o u b l e i n her legs ("That's why I always wear p a n t s - - t o cover those
u g l y s u p p o r t s t o c k i n g s " ) . She shares her home w i t h M a r t i n I I I , who, l i k e h i s
s i b l i n g s , hasn't wed. Nor, o f course, has t h e i r mother r e m a r r i e d . " I ' v e had
companions, men t h a t I've dated," C o r e t t a says. "But I haven't c o n s i d e r e d
m a r r i a g e . I am bound t o M a r t i n . " One o l d t i e , though, may soon be severed:
C o r e t t a may leave her house on Sunset. The modest s e t t i n g f o r so much h i s t o r y i s
l i k e l y be s o l d along w i t h the King Center t o the Park S e r v i c e , which would
operate t h e s i t e s as a museum. " I t ' s t i m e t o move on," says C o r e t t a . But
wherever she lands, i t w i l l not s i g n a l a q u i e t r e t i r e m e n t . " I promise you t h a t
I'm not g o i n g t o go o f f i n t o a c o r n e r , " she says. "I'm s t i l l an a c t i v i s t a t
h e a r t . I'm s t i l l working t o t u r n t h e dream i n t o r e a l i t y . "
GRAPHIC: B W PHOTO: J:LEVITON-ATLANTA, The Kings a t home i n 1963 w i t h (from
/
l e f t ) Yolanda, B e r n i c e , Dexter and M a r t i n I I I . [Yolanda King, C o r e t t a S c o t t
King, B e r n i c e King, Dexter King, M a r t i n L u t h e r King J r . and M a r t i n King I I I . ] ;
B W PHOTO: JOSEPH LOUWS, C o r e t t a says she "always expected" t o l o s e M a r t i n
/
( l y i n g wounded). [Andrew Young and o t h e r s s t a n d i n g near body o f M a r t i n Luther
King J r . on L o r r a i n e Motel b a l c o n y ] ; COLOR PHOTO: FRANK VERONSKY, "My mom t r i e d
t o p r o v i d e a normal u p b r i n g i n g , which was i m p o s s i b l e , " says Dexter ( l e f t , w i t h
Yolanda, M a r t i n I I I , C o r e t t a and B e r n i c e ) . [Dexter King, Yolanda King, M a r t i n
�PAGE
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People, June 22, 1998
King I I I , C o r e t t a S c o t t King, Bernice K i n g ] ; COLOR PHOTO: DAVID TURNLEY/DETROIT
FREE PRESS/BLACK STAR, C o r e t t a v i s i t e d South A f r i c a i n 1986 t o h e l p f i g h t
a p a r t h e i d w i t h Winnie Mandela, whose then-husband, Nelson, was imprisoned.
[Winnie Mandela embracing C o r e t t a S c o t t K i n g ] ; COLOR PHOTO: GILLES
PERESS/MAGNUM, Bernice c a l l s C o r e t t a (at the 1984 Democratic convention) "one
reason the n a t i o n has not been swallowed up by v i o l e n c e . " [ C o r e t t a S c o t t King
t a l k i n g w i t h man]; COLOR PHOTO: KONI NORDMANN/CONTACT PRESS IMAGES, " I t never
crossed my mind not t o c o n t i n u e M a r t i n ' s work," says C o r e t t a ( i n '88, on the
March on Washington's 25th a n n i v e r s a r y ) . [ C o r e t t a S c o t t K i n g ] ; COLOR PHOTO:
DIANA WALKER, C o r e t t a and Dexter were on hand i n 1988 when P r e s i d e n t Reagan
i s s u e d the annual p r o c l a m a t i o n o f M a r t i n Luther King Day. [Ronald Reagan, Dexter
King and C o r e t t a S c o t t K i n g ] ; COLOR PHOTO: JEFF SLATE/REUTERS/ARCHIVE PHOTOS, " I
d i d n ' t j u s t marry him," says C o r e t t a (at King's tomb i n A p r i l w i t h , from l e f t ,
B e r n i c e , Yolanda, Dexter and M a r t i n I I I ) . " I m a r r i e d h i s cause." [ B e r n i c e King,
Yolanda King, C o r e t t a S c o t t King, Dexter King and M a r t i n King I I I . ]
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
LOAD-DATE: June 19, 1998
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304TH STORY o f Level 1 p r i n t e d i n FULL format.
Copyright
1996 The New York Times Company
The New York Times
November 3, 1996,
SECTION: S e c t i o n 4;
Page 15;
Sunday, Late E d i t i o n - F i n a l
Column 2; E d i t o r i a l Desk
LENGTH: 370 words
HEADLINE: Man o f His Word
BYLINE: By C o r e t t a S c o t t King;
C o r e t t a S c o t t King i s the founder o f the
M a r t i n L u t h e r King J r . Center f o r N o n v i o l e n t S o c i a l Change.
DATELINE: ATLANTA
BODY:
I have a dream my f o u r l i t t l e c h i l d r e n w i l l one day l i v e i n a n a t i o n where
t h e y w i l l not be judged by the c o l o r o f t h e i r s k i n , but by the c o n t e n t o f t h e i r
character."
Who would have t h o u g h t , 33 years a f t e r my husband, M a r t i n L u t h e r King J r . ,
u t t e r e d those words t h a t t h e i r meaning would be d i s t o r t e d by s u p p o r t e r s o f t h e
C a l i f o r n i a C i v i l R i g h t s I n i t i a t i v e , which would e l i m i n a t e s t a t e a f f i r m a t i v e
a c t i o n plans.
My husband u n e q u i v o c a l l y supported such programs. He d i d indeed dream o f a
day when h i s c h i l d r e n would be judged by the c o n t e n t o f t h e i r c h a r a c t e r , i n s t e a d
of t h e c o l o r o f t h e i r s k i n . But he o f t e n s a i d t h a t programs and reforms were
needed t o hasten t h e day when h i s dream o f genuine e q u a l i t y o f o p p o r t u n i t y -r e f l e c t e d i n r e a l i t y , not j u s t t h e o r y -- would be f u l f i l l e d .
I n a 1965 i n t e r v i e w , when M a r t i n was asked about the f a i r n e s s o f t h e idea o f
a f f i r m a t i v e a c t i o n , he r e p l i e d : "Can any f a i r - m i n d e d c i t i z e n deny t h a t t h e Negro
has been deprived? . . . We have ample precedents f o r s p e c i a l compensatory
programs, which are regarded as s e t t l e m e n t s . American I n d i a n s are s t i l l b e i n g
p a i d f o r l a n d i n a s e t t l e m e n t manner. I s not two c e n t u r i e s o f l a b o r which helped
b u i l d t h i s c o u n t r y , as r e a l a commodity? And w i l l you remember t h a t America
adopted a p o l i c y o f s p e c i a l t r e a t m e n t f o r m i l l i o n s o f v e t e r a n s a f t e r t h e war —
a program which cost f a r more than a p o l i c y o f p r e f e r e n t i a l t r e a t m e n t t o
r e h a b i l i t a t e t h e t r a d i t i o n a l l y disadvantaged Negro would cost today."
Those who say t h a t a f f i r m a t i v e a c t i o n i s no l o n g e r necessary r a r e l y c i t e
s t a t i s t i c s t o support t h e i r argument, f o r the evidence o f c o n t i n u i n g p e r v a s i v e
d i s c r i m i n a t i o n a g a i n s t m i n o r i t i e s and women i s overwhelming. Indeed, s t a t i s t i c s ,
f a r from p r o v i n g t h a t such programs are r e l i c s o f a bygone era, t e s t i f y t o how
p r e c a r i o u s our h o l d i s on equal o p p o r t u n i t y and how d i s c r i m i n a t i o n i n our
society persists.
L i k e my husband, I s t r o n g l y b e l i e v e t h a t a f f i r m a t i v e a c t i o n has m e r i t , n o t
o n l y f o r promoting j u s t i c e , but a l s o f o r h e a l i n g and u n i f y i n g s o c i e t y . I urge
C a l i f o r n i a n s t o s e t a s t a n d a r d o f conscience f o r the r e s t o f the n a t i o n , by
s t a n d i n g up f o r programs t h a t p r o v i d e a s m a l l measure o f o p p o r t u n i t y f o r
m i n o r i t i e s and women.
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C o p y r i g h t 1998 Chicago Tribune Company
Chicago T r i b u n e
A p r i l 1, 1998 Wednesday, LAKE SPORTS FINAL EDITION
SECTION: METRO LAKE; Pg. 4; ZONE: L
LENGTH: 560 words
HEADLINE: KING'S WIDOW STANDS UP FOR GAY CIVIL RIGHTS;
SHE CITES HUSBAND'S STRONG OPPOSITION TO ALL FORMS OF INJUSTICE
BYLINE: By T e r r y Wilson, Tribune S t a f f W r i t e r .
BODY:
C o r e t t a S c o t t King, a c t i v i s t and widow o f s l a i n c i v i l r i g h t s l e a d e r , Dr.
M a r t i n L u t h e r King J r . , s a i d Tuesday she has r e c e i v e d advice from people t o
a v o i d involvement i n the gay c i v i l r i g h t s movement and t o c o n c e n t r a t e , i n s t e a d ,
on r a c i a l j u s t i c e .
Tuesday, as she s t o o d i n a b a l l r o o m f i l l e d w i t h more than 600 lawyers,
a c t i v i s t s , p o l i t i c i a n s , s t u d e n t s and o t h e r i n f l u e n t i a l Chicagoans, King s a i d she
c o n s i d e r s her husband's words when she i g n o r e s t h a t a d v i c e .
"For many years now, I have been an outspoken s u p p o r t e r o f c i v i l and human
r i g h t s f o r gay and l e s b i a n people," King s a i d a t t h e 25th A n n i v e r s a r y Luncheon
f o r t h e Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund. " I ' v e always f e l t t h a t
homophobic a t t i t u d e s and p o l i c i e s were u n j u s t and unworthy o f a f r e e s o c i e t y and
must be opposed by a l l Americans who b e l i e v e i n democracy."
She s a i d she reminds thnsg who rii.^l.i ke gayg t h a t Jier__husband p r o f e s s e d
i n j u s t i c e anywhere i s a t h r e a t t o j u s t i c e everywhere.
The Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund i s a n a t i o n a l n o t - f o r - p r o f i t
o r g a n i z a t i o n t h a t f i g h t s f o r gay e q u a l i t y i n t h e c o u r t s . I t has f o u g h t t o
o v e r t u r n t h e ban a g a i n s t gays i n the m i l i t a r y and e f f o r t s t o l e g a l i z e marriage
f o r gays.
Given two s t a n d i n g o v a t i o n s , King gave a keynote speech t h a t advised
a c t i v i s t s i n the gay s t r u g g l e f o r e q u a l i t y t o draw on successes o f o t h e r
movements, i n c l u d i n g t h e c i v i l r i g h t s movement.
"Gays and l e s b i a n s s t o o d up f o r c i v i l r i g h t s i n Montgomery, Selma, i n Albany,
Ga. and St. A u g u s t i n e , F l a . , and many o t h e r campaigns o f the C i v i l R i g h t s
Movement," she s a i d . "Many o f these courageous men and women were f i g h t i n g f o r
my freedom a t a t i m e when they c o u l d f i n d few v o i c e s f o r t h e i r own, and I s a l u t e
their contributions."
She advised those i n t h e b a l l r o o m a t the Palmer House H i l t o n t o read books
authored by her husband, who was k i l l e d by an assassin's b u l l e t 30 years ago.
The books o f f e r a b l u e p r i n t o f the s t r u g g l e and s t r a t e g i e s f o r success, she
said.
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«
She a l s o suggested t h a t the gay c i v i l r i g h t s movement i n v o l v e i t s e l f i n o t h e r
i s s u e s . I t should h e l p teach t o l e r a n c e and understanding t o c h i l d r e n , ensure
t h a t t h e gay r i g h t s movement f e a t u r e s d i v e r s i t y among i t s a c t i v i s t s , and support
a f f i r m a t i v e a c t i o n and o t h e r programs designed t o enhance i n c l u s i o n i n the
workplace and elsewhere.
"When we a l l o w our i n s t i t u t i o n s t o exclude m i n o r i t i e s from f u l l c i t i z e n s h i p
r i g h t s , I b e l i e v e we are c o o p e r a t i n g w i t h e v i l , " King s a i d . "Homophobia i s l i k e
r a c i s m and a n t i - S e m i t i s m and o t h e r forms o f b i g o t r y i n t h a t i t 'feefeks t o deii-yl a r g e group o f peopTS t h y i r huittsnity, t h e i r d i g n i t y ana personnooa. This sets
the stage f o r T n r t h e r — r u j i r
i MM ^nn i n n i o n n o t-hat- gpra^nc; flij too e a s i l y t o
v i c t i m i z e t h e next minorit2_a£Qjjp. "
She s a i d r i g h t - w i n g p o l i t i c i a n s who are a u t h o r i n g b i l l s l i k e those designed
t o end a f f i r m a t i v e a c t i o n programs are supported by the same homophobic groups
t h a t Lambda Legal Defense's s t a f f members c h a l l e n g e i n courtrooms across t h e
country.
" I t ' s not good enough t o support human r i g h t s f o r one's own race o r c u l t u r e
and thpn" np_si i'piTr~a^iyiit i n j u s t i c e s t o oi^her groups," k i n g s a i d . "As M a r t i n orrce
s a i d , ' e are a l l t i e d t o g e t h e r i n a s i n g l e garment o f d e s t i n y . . . an
W
i n e s c a p a b l e network o f m u t u a l i t y . . . . I can never be what I ought t o be u n t i l
you are a l l o w e d t o be what you ought t o be.' "
GRAPHIC: PHOTOPHOTO: C o r e t t a S c o t t King ( r i g h t ) , t a l k s w i t h Maggie Daley a t a
luncheon d u r i n g which she p r a i s e d gays f o r t h e i r r o l e i n the c i v i l r i g h t s
movement. Tribune photo by Jose More.
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
LOAD-DATE: A p r i l 1, 1998
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C o p y r i g h t 1999 Gale Research I n c .
A l l Rights Reserved
Newsmakers 1999
1999;
Issue 3
LENGTH: 2726 words
NAME: C o r e t t a S c o t t King
PERSONAL:
Born A p r i l 27, 1927, i n Heiberger, AL; daughter o f O b i d i a h and Bernice
(McMurray) S c o t t ; m a r r i e d M a r t i n Luther King, J r . (a m i n i s t e r and c i v i l r i g h t s
l e a d e r ) , June 18, 1953 ( d i e d A p r i l 4, 1968); c h i l d r e n : Yolanda Denise, M a r t i n
L u t h e r I I I , Dexter S c o t t , Bernice A l b e r t i n e .
OCCUPATION: C i v i l r i g h t s a c t i v i s t , author, and s i n g e r
ADDRESSES: O f f i c e - - M a r t i n L u t h e r King, J r . , Center
449 Auburn Ave. NE, A t l a n t a , GA 30312-1503.
f o r N o n v i o l e n t S o c i a l Change,
EDUCATION: A n t i o c h C o l l e g e , A.B., 1951; New England Conservatory
Mus.B., 1954.
o f Music,
CAREER:
C i v i l r i g h t s a c t i v i s t , a u t h o r , and s i n g e r . Had s i n g i n g debut i n S p r i n g f i e l d ,
OH, 1948; d e l e g a t e t o White House Conference on C h i l d r e n and Youth, 1960;
Women's S t r i k e f o r Peace d e l e g a t e t o disarmament conference, Geneva,
S w i t z e r l a n d , 1962; M o r r i s Brown College, A t l a n t a , GA, v o i c e i n s t r u c t o r , 1962;
M a r t i n Luther King, J r . , Center f o r N o n v i o l e n t S o c i a l Change, I n c . , A t l a n t a ,
f o u n d i n g p r e s i d e n t and c h i e f e x e c u t i v e o f f i c e r , 1969--; Cable News Network
(CNN), A t l a n t a , commentator, 1 9 8 0 — ; M a r t i n L u t h e r King, J r . Federal H o l i d a y
Commission, chairwoman. Author o f My L i f e w i t h M a r t i n L u t h e r King, J r . , 1969,
and w r i t e r o f a r t i c l e s f o r p e r i o d i c a l s . A l s o f r e q u e n t p u b l i c speaker. Board o f
d i r e c t o r s , Southern C h r i s t i a n Leadership Conference, Southern R u r a l A c t i o n
P r o j e c t , I n c . ; c o - c h a i r , F u l l Employment A c t i o n C o u n c i l ; member, Black
Leadership Forum, Black Leadership Roundtable.
AWARDS:
N a t i o n a l C o u n c i l o f Negro Women Annual Brotherhood Award, 1957; Montgomery
(AL) Improvement A s s o c i a t i o n o u t s t a n d i n g c i t i z e n s h i p award, 1959; S t . Louis
Argus m e r i t award, 1960; N a t i o n a l O r g a n i z a t i o n o f Colored Women's Clubs
d i s t i n g u i s h e d achievement award, 1962; U t i l i t y Club (New York C i t y ) Woman o f t h e
Year award, 1962; American Jewish Congress Women's A u x i l i a r y Louise Waterman
Wise award, 1963; C l e v e l a n d Hadassah M y r t l e Wreath Award, 1965; Premio San
V a l e n t i n e Commission u n i v e r s a l l o v e award, 1968; Wateler Peace P r i z e , 1968;
N a t i o n a l A s s o c i a t i o n o f Radio and T e l e v i s i o n Announcers Woman o f the Year award,
1968; Dag Hammarskjold Award, 1969; I n t e r n a t i o n a l Overseas S e r v i c e Foundation
Pacem i n T e r r i s award, 1969; Roosevelt U n i v e r s i t y l e a d e r s h i p f o r freedom award,
1971; College o f the C i t y o f New York M a r t i n L u t h e r King Memorial Medal, 1971;
I n t e r n a t i o n a l V i a r e g g i o award, 1971; U n i t e d Auto Workers (UAW) S o c i a l J u s t i c e
Award, 1980; Eugene V. Debs award, 1982; numerous honorary degrees.
WRITINGS:
My L i f e w i t h M a r t i n L u t h e r King, J r . , H o l t , 1969.
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( E d i t o r ) King, M a r t i n L u t h e r , J r . , The Words o f M a r t i n Luther King,
Jr., Newmarket Press, 1983.
SIDELITES:
Since her husband, legendary c i v i l r i g h t s l e a d e r M a r t i n Luther King, J r . , was
shot and k i l l e d on A p r i l 4, 1968, C o r e t t a S c o t t King hag^devoted her l i f e t o .
c o n t i j i u i n g h i s work. Immediately a f t e r h i s death, news r e p o r t s o f t e n r e f e r r e d t o
King a s ^ w i d u w u f ' t h e s l a i n c i v i l r i g h t s l e a d e r " or something s i m i l a r , a
d e s c r i p t o r t h a t does not do j u s t i c e t o her own e f f o r t s t o achieve r a c i a l
e q u a l i t y t h r o u g h p e a c e f u l means. Lynn Norment i n Ebony r e p o r t e d t h a t King's
simple g o a l i s t o make a d i f f e r e n c e , and i f she succeeds, "Then I would t h i n k
t h a t my l i v i n g has been w o r t h w h i l e , " she t o l d Norment. "That means h e l p i n g
people and i m p r o v i n g c o n d i t i o n s i n the l i v e s o f people. I never thought I was
g o i n g t o save t h e w o r l d but I f e l t t h a t I c o u l d work and make some c o n t r i b u t i o n
t o make t h i n g s b e t t e r f o r people who come a f t e r me."
In a d d i t i o n t o r a i s i n g her f o u r c h i l d r e n w h i l e s t e p p i n g up t o l e a d marches,
r a i s e funds, and sti_c_sf«.-ri-trs, King was a l s o key i n f ^ " " ^ np""^*? i"mpressive
MartTTT'LutherJ^inck J r . , Center f o r NnmHrngnt .qnr-ial. Change i n - A t l a n t a and l e d
the""9rive to__gatabl'i^Tr*3-Tra±i-ondl ifgTTHay h o n o r i n g her l a t e husband. She a l s o
was " i n s t r u m e n t a l i n urgTrTg Lhu ^ ^ " ^ " S f i i T e s government' t o impose s a n c t i o n s on
South A f r i c a t o p r e s s u r e the c o u n t r y t o end i t s a p a r t h e i d system and has served
as a v i s i b l e proponent o f gay r i g h t s as w e l l . Though she handed over t h e
l e a d e r s h i p o f t h e Center f o r N o n v i o l e n t S o c i a l Change t o her son Dexter i n 1995,
King has remained i n t h e p u b l i c eye as a p r o l i f i c p u b l i c speaker.
J
King was born on A p r i l 27, 1927, i n Heiberger, Alabama, j u s t o u t s i d e the
s m a l l farm community o f Marion, near t h e Alabama- M i s s i s s i p p i b o r d e r . Her
p a r e n t s , O b i d i a h (nicknamed Obie) and Bernice (McMurray) S c o t t , r a i s e d t h e i r
c h i l d r e n — i n c l u d i n g King's o l d e r s i s t e r , Edythe, and younger b r o t h e r , O b i d i a h ,
J r . — o n a farm t h a t belonged t o the f a m i l y f o r many g e n e r a t i o n s , r a i s i n g
v e g e t a b l e s and keeping hogs, cows, and c h i c k e n s . A l t h o u g h they were not so poor
as may o f the A f r i c a n American sharecroppers i n the area, or even some o f t h e
l e s s f o r t u n a t e w h i t e farmers, they l i v e d t h r o u g h some rough t i m e s , e s p e c i a l l y
d u r i n g t h e Great Depression o f the l a t e 1920s and e a r l y 1930s. King helped out
the f a m i l y f i n a n c i a l l y by p i c k i n g c o t t o n , w h i l e her f a t h e r drove a t a x i t o b r i n g
i n more money.
An e n t e r p r i s i n g man, King's f a t h e r was m o t i v a t e d t o make a good l i f e f o r h i s
f a m i l y . However, h i s savings were d e p l e t e d a t one p o i n t when he i n v e s t e d i n a
s a w m i l l , o n l y t o see i t burn t o the ground under s u s p i c i o u s circumstances. He
then bought a t r u c k t o h a u l lumber and l a t e r opened a c o u n t r y s t o r e . King's
mother passed along her m u s i c a l a b i l i t y t o her c h i l d r e n and i n s i s t e d they a t t e n d
c o l l e g e , an o p p o r t u n i t y she and her husband were not a f f o r d e d . King's e d u c a t i o n
began a t t h e Crossroads School, a one-room b u i l d i n g where two teachers were
r e s p o n s i b l e f o r a l l s i x grades. She walked f i v e m i l e s each way t o and from t h e
s c h o o l , watching w h i t e c h i l d r e n r i d e buses t o Marion. This experience sowed t h e
seeds o f her consciousness toward r a c i a l i n j u s t i c e .
King and her s i b l i n g s went on t o a t t e n d Marion's a l l - A f r i c a n American L i n c o l n
High School, which was c l a s s i f i e d as p r i v a t e because o f i t s i n t e g r a t e d t e a c h i n g
s t a f f , though fees were waived f o r many o f the s t u d e n t s . There, she p l a y e d
trumpet and p i a n o and sang i n the chorus. She a l s o gave s o l o r e c i t a l s and
appeared i n m u s i c a l s . A f t e r g r a d u a t i n g a t t h e t o p o f her c l a s s , King a t t e n d e d
A n t i o c h College i n Yellow Springs, Ohio. Her s i s t e r had been the f i r s t
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f u l l - t i m e A f r i c a n American student on campus, though she decided t o t r a n s f e r t o
Ohio S t a t e midway t h r o u g h her e d u c a t i o n . King enjoyed her experience a t A n t i o c h ,
which o f f e r e d a c h a l l e n g i n g academic environment and gave her the experience o f
l i v i n g among m o s t l y w h i t e s f o r the f i r s t t i m e . She a l s o met famous b a r i t o n e Paul
Robeson t h e r e , and he encouraged her t o c o n t i n u e her v o i c e t r a i n i n g .
While p u r s u i n g her s t u d i e s i n elementary e d u c a t i o n and music, King balanced
her s c h o o l i n g w i t h work-study programs, v a r i o u s l y spending time as a n u r s e r y
school a t t e n d a n t , l i b r a r y a s s i s t a n t , d i n i n g h a l l s e r v e r , and a counselor a t
Karmu Camp, which s p e c i a l i z e d i n the a r t s and music. She a l s o r e c e i v e d c r e d i t
f o r h e l p i n g out w i t h bookkeeping and o t h e r d u t i e s a t her f a t h e r ' s s t o r e .
A l t h o u g h King d i d not have much t r o u b l e w i t h p r e j u d i c e on the m o s t l y w h i t e
campus o f A n t i o c h , she encountered i n s t i t u t i o n a l i z e d racism when i t came t i m e
f o r her t o t a k e a s t u d e n t t e a c h i n g j o b . Most s t u d e n t s were p l a c e d i n l o c a l
p u b l i c s c h o o l s , but King was asked t o t r a v e l n i n e m i l e s away t o work i n an
a l l - A f r i c a n American s c h o o l . King b a t t l e d her way up t o the c o l l e g e p r e s i d e n t ,
but she c o u l d not break the c o l o r b a r r i e r and f i n a l l y accepted a p o s i t i o n a t
A n t i o c h ' s Demonstration School i n s t e a d .
A f t e r r e c e i v i n g her bachelor's degree i n 1951, King decided t o c o n t i n u e t o
study music. She gave her f i r s t s o l o c o n c e r t i n 1948 a t the Second B a p t i s t
Church i n S p r i n g f i e l d , Ohio, and l a t e r performed i n Pennsylvania and Alabama.
T h r i l l e d when she was accepted t o the New England Conservatory o f Music, King
was even more o v e r j o y e d when she l e a r n e d she had r e c e i v e d a f e l l o w s h i p from t h e
J e s s i e Smith Noyes f o u n d a t i o n as w e l l . She arranged t o l i v e w i t h a w h i t e f a m i l y
i n Boston's p r e s t i g i o u s Beacon H i l l area w h i l e a t t e n d i n g c l a s s e s , a s s i s t i n g w i t h
c l e a n i n g i n exchange f o r her room and b r e a k f a s t , but buying food f o r d i n n e r s was
d i f f i c u l t . She l i v e d on m o s t l y peanut b u t t e r , c r a c k e r s , and f r u i t . L a t e r she
found work as a f i l e c l e r k f o r a m a i l - o r d e r f i r m .
I n Boston, a f e l l o w s t u d e n t i n t r o d u c e d King t o M a r t i n Luther King, J r . , a
young m i n s t e r from A t l a n t a working toward h i s d o c t o r a t e i n t h e o l o g y a t Boston
U n i v e r s i t y . T h e i r f i r s t date was lunch i n a Boston c a f e t e r i a , and he immediately
t o l d her t h a t she possessed the q u a l i t i e s he wanted i n a w i f e . A f t e r she
c o n s i d e r e d h i s p r o p o s a l f o r s i x months, she decided t o forego her own c a r e e r i n
o r d e r t o j o i n him. The two were m a r r i e d on June 18, 1953, a t C o r e t t a S c o t t
King's f a m i l y home, w i t h 350 guests i n attendance. M a r t i n Luther King, J r . ' s
f a t h e r performed t h e ceremony and agreed t o C o r e t t a S c o t t ' s request--an unusual
one a t t h e t i m e , e s p e c i a l l y s i n c e the Kings were b o t h c l e r g y — t o omit t h e
b r i d e ' s p a r t o f t h e vows t o obey her husband.
The Kings r e t u r n e d t o Boston t o f i n i s h t h e i r degrees, and C o r e t t a King earned
her b a c h e l o r o f music i n June o f 1954. M a r t i n Luther King, J r . , was s t i l l
working on h i s d i s s e r t a t i o n but was a l l o w e d t o pursue a f u l l - t i m e j o b w h i l e he
f i n i s h e d t h e p r o j e c t . He accepted a j o b a t t h e Dexter Avenue B a p t i s t Church i n
Montgomery, Alabama, and they moved i n September o f 1954.
M a r t i n L u t h e r King, J r . , q u i c k l y became a l e a d i n g c i v i l r i g h t s f i g u r e when he
o r g a n i z e d t h e Montgomery bus b o y c o t t i n 1955. The p r o t e s t was sparked when Rosa
Parks, an A f r i c a n American seamstress, r e f u s e d t o move t o the back o f a p u b l i c
bus t o l e t w h i t e passengers have her seat. The campaign was a success, and a
year l a t e r t h e U.S. Supreme Court d e c l a r e d t h e segregated bus laws
u n c o n s t i t u t i o n a l . M a r t i n Luther King, J r . , went on t o head the Southern
C h r i s t i a n Leadership Conference i n 1957, and i n 1960 t h e f a m i l y moved back t o
A t l a n t a so t h a t he c o u l d co-pastor w i t h h i s f a t h e r a t the Ebenezer B a p t i s t
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Church.
C o r e t t a King, meanwhile, gave b i r t h t o a daughter, Yolanda ("Yoki") i n 1955,
and a son, M a r t i n L u t h e r I I I , i n 1957. The couple would a l s o have another son
and daughter; Dexter S c o t t was born i n 1961, and B e r n i c e A l b e r t i n e came along i n
1963. Though she was busy r a i s i n g c h i l d r e n , King stayed _ a c t i v e behind t h e scenes
i n t h e c i v i l r i g h t s movement, h a n d l i n g m a i l ^ phone calls', and o t h e r
a d m i n i s t r a t i v e work _for hgi^Uu-stM^llU. She a l s o h e l d " Kryeriom Concert^." where she.
would s i n g to' r a i s e "money f o r c i v i l r i g h t s causes. This a l l o w e d her a c r e a t i v e
o u t l e t whiTnd aL—ttie gaifffe LimiT A g i s t i n g the movement. I n 1962 she worked as a
v o i c e i n s t r u c t o r a t M o r r i s Brown C o l l e g e i n A t l a n t a and a l s o t h a t year served as
a d e l e g a t e f o r t h e Women's S t r i k e f o r Peace a t the Disarmament Conference i n
Geneva, S w i t z e r l a n d .
Sometimes King would accompany her husband on h i s f r e q u e n t t r a v e l s . On t h e i r
f i r s t overseas t r i p , she went w i t h him t o Ghana i n 1957 when t h e A f r i c a n n a t i o n
d e c l a r e d independence from Great B r i t a i n . I n 1959 t h e y v i s i t e d I n d i a , and i n
December o f 1964 King accompanied her husband t o Oslo, Norway, where he accepted
the Nobel Peace P r i z e ; a t age 39, he was the youngest person ever t o r e c e i v e i t .
However, much o f the t i m e . King s t a y e d home t o tend t o her c h i l d r e n , d e s p i t e her
l o n g i n g f o r more involvement. As King r e l a t e d t o Henry P. Liefermann i n the New
York Times, "He'd say, ' I have no c h o i c e , I have t o do t h i s , b u t you haven't
been c a l l e d . ' And I s a i d , 'Can't you understand? You know I have an urge t o
serve j u s t l i k e you have.' I s a i d , ' I don't know why i t i s , I can't e x p l a i n i t ,
but a l l I know i s t h a t i t ' s t h e r e . ' "
King's s t e a d f a s t support o f her husband's quest t o end r a c i a l p r e j u d i c e d i d
not waver even when he was stabbedJaT~5~~bOoK" sigrilnTr~(th5 woman was -judged
m e n t a l l y l u i u m p c t c n t ) — o n when—her home was bombed one n i g n t i n i^ab wnen sne and
daughter Yolanda, then s t i l l a baby, were i n i t (no one was~FTurt). She o f t e n
f i e l d e d c a l l s making death t h r e a t s on her husband's l i f e , and she was used t o
him r e g u l a r l y i y i v i n y j d ' l i t i m e as punishment f o r h i s p r o t e s t s . Because t h e
s p e c t e r of death always loomed over King's husband, she mentioned t o R i c h a r d
Jerome i n People, "My p r a y e r became t h a t when i t d i d happen, t h e c h i l d r e n would
be o l d enough t o remember him." Such t e r r o r was w o r t h i t , she f e l t , i n o r d e r t o
see v i c t o r i e s such as the 1964 C i v i l R i g h t s Act and the V o t i n g R i g h t s B i l l o f
1965.
A f t e r M a r t i n L u t h e r King, J r . , was c u t down by an assassin's b u l l e t i n
Memphis, Tennessee, i n A p r i l o f 1968, CoreXta King q u i c k l y p i c k e d up where he
l£££__a££-r» That month she h e l d a d e m o n s t r a t i o n and gave an dUdltdsy < O f £ i e rrom
Jrliia
her husband's n o t e s . I n June o f t h a t year, she gave t h e keynote speech a t a c i v i l
r i g h t s g a t h e r i n g i n Washington, D.C,
known as the Poor People's Campaign. Then
i n January o f 1969, King announced her plans t o e s t a b l i s h t h e M a r t i n L u t h e r
Kin<^ Jr. . Center f o r N o n v i o l e n t S o c i a l Uiahije i n A t l a n t a , Georgia, t o r which
f
she
g o v i r Q ^ a ^ j^yae^pQt-
ann
cni<j|
M KM I' g L1V M
Mrfire^
The Center s t a r t e d out as a memorial i n King's basement, and i n 1980, 23
acres around King's b i r t h p l a c e i n A t l a n t a was d e s i g n a t e d a N a t i o n a l H i s t o r i c
S i t e by t h e N a t i o n a l Parks S e r v i c e . Then, 1981 saw the d e d i c a t i o n o f a grand
complex i n t h i s area, which i s a l s o near Ebenezer B a p t i s t Church where King
preached. I t i n c l u d e s an e x t e n s i v e l i b r a r y c o n t a i n i n g r o u g h l y one m i l l i o n
documents p e r t a i n i n g t o the c i v i l r i g h t s movement, a r t i f a c t s such as King's
a p p a r e l and p e r s o n a l b e l o n g i n g s , conference rooms, a c u l t u r a l c e n t e r and
a u d i t o r i u m , and a c e n t r a l f o u n t a i n housing King's e l e v a t e d marble tomb.
�PAGE
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1999
Subsequently, King l e d t h e e f f o r t t o s e t aside a l e g a l h o l i d a y t o honor her
husband's c o n t r i b u t i o n s ; ~ t h e a c t ot Congress was passed i n 1983 and observance,
s e f ' f O r t h e thircTMonday o f each January, began i n 1986. She then began s e r v i n g
as chairwoman o f the M a r t i n L u t h e r King,*" JF7 Federal H o l i d a y Commission,
e n t r u s t e d t o c o o r d i n a t e the observance of the day. By 1995, King had stepped
down as chairman and CEO of t h e King c e n t e r , passing t h e j o b t o her youngest
son, Dexter King.
I n t h e mid- t o l a t e - 1 9 9 0 s , the King f a m i l y drew sharp c r i t i c i s m f o r t h e i r
h a n d l i n g o f the c e n t e r and King's legacy, a t the core o f which was a feud w i t h
the N a t i o n a l Park S e r v i c e over a proposed v i s i t o r s c e n t e r across t h e s t r e e t from
the King c e n t e r . The King f a m i l y planned t o open an i n t e r a c t i v e museum and f e l t
the Park S e r v i c e p l a n would i n t e r f e r e . The two sides came t o an agreement, and
the Park S e r v i c e opened t h e i r f a c i l i t y i n 1996, but the King f a m i l y d i d not go
f o r w a r d w i t h t h e i r i d e a s . By 1999, the King f a m i l y was a g a i n under f i r e f o r
m a i n t a i n i n g t i g h t c o n t r o l over t h e M a r t i n Luther King, J r . , image and h i s works,
as w e l l as f o r r e a p i n g generous p r o f i t s o f f o f the r i g h t s . But n e i t h e r King nor
her son would comment on any such c o n t r o v e r s y .
I n a d d i t i o n t o her work w i t h the c e n t e r , King has w r i t t e n a r t i c l e s and
columns on s o c i a l and p o l i t i c a l t o p i c s f o r p e r i o d i c a l s , i n c l u d i n g a s y n d i c a t e d
column, and has served as a commentator on the Cable News Network (CNN) i n
A t l a n t a s i n c e 1980. She a l s o e d i t e d a book o f King's w r i t i n g s i n 1983, and was
i n t h e news i n 1997 c a l l i n g f o r a new t r i a l f o r her husband's c o n v i c t e d k i l l e r ,
James E a r l Ray, who d i e d the f o l l o w i n g year i n p r i s o n w i t h o u t r e c e i v i n g a new
t r i a l . King was among those who b e l i e v e d t h a t Ray was not t h e t r u e k i l l e r ,
i n s t e a d a d h e r i n g t o t h e c o n s p i r a c y t h e o r y t h a t a government i n t e l l i g e n c e agency
committed the crime and used him as a p a t s y t o cover i t up. King i s the
r e c i p i e n t o f numerous awards, i n c l u d i n g the Dag Hammarskjold Award, 1969; the
UAW S o c i a l J u s t i c e Award, 1980; the Eugene V. Debs award, 1982; and numerous
h o n o r a r y degrees.
SOURCES: Books
Contemporary Black Biography, volume 3, Gale Research, 1993.
N o t a b l e Black American Women, Book I , e d i t e d by J e s s i e Carney
Smith, Gale Research, 1992.
Periodicals
A t l a n t a J o u r n a l and C o n s t i t u t i o n , January 12, 1999, p. B l .
D a l l a s Morning News, January 17, 1999, p. 4A.
Ebony, January 1980, p. 60; January 1986, p. 105; January 1990,
116; January 1991, p. 27; January 1995, p. 25.
Good Housekeeping, June 1964, p. 77.
J e t , January 16, 1995, p. 12.
N a t i o n a l C a t h o l i c Reporter, A p r i l 4, 1997, p. 14.
Newsday, January 16, 1994, p. 29; A p r i l 24, 1998, p. A5.
Newsweek, A p r i l 22, 1968, p. 32.
New York Times, November 26, 1972.
People, June 22, 1998, p. 46.
Time, January 16, 1995, p. 37.
U.S.
News S World Report, January 16, 1995, p. 54.
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
LOAD-DATE: J u l y 13,
1999
p.
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Lowell Weiss
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Lowell Weiss
Office of Speechwriting
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1997-2001
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
<a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/show/36408">Collection Finding Aid</a>
<a href="https://catalog.archives.gov/id/7431951">National Archives Catalog Description</a>
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
2006-0470-F
Description
An account of the resource
This collection consists of the speechwriting files of Lowell Weiss. Lowell Weiss worked as a Special Assistant to the President, Presidential Speechwriter from June 1997 - August 2000. Weiss traveled and wrote speeches for President Clinton on domestic issues. His speeches cover a broad array of topics. Major issues he wrote on concern the environment, education, the economy, and race relations. He wrote weekly radio addresses; commencement speeches; and remarks for bill signings, events, and conferences. The records consist of speeches, drafts, memoranda, correspondence, schedules, event and travel arrangements, notes, articles, and printed email.
Provenance
A statement of any changes in ownership and custody of the resource since its creation that are significant for its authenticity, integrity, and interpretation. The statement may include a description of any changes successive custodians made to the resource.
Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum
Extent
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464 folders in 36 boxes
Text
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text.
Original Format
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Paper
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
AmeriCorps - King
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Office of Speechwriting
Lowell Weiss
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
2006-0470-F
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
Box 2
<a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/show/36408">Collection Finding Aid</a>
<a href="https://catalog.archives.gov/id/20760803">National Archives Catalog Description</a>
Provenance
A statement of any changes in ownership and custody of the resource since its creation that are significant for its authenticity, integrity, and interpretation. The statement may include a description of any changes successive custodians made to the resource.
Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum
Format
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Adobe Acrobat Document
Medium
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Preservation-Reproduction-Reference
Source
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20760803
42-t-7431951-20060470-F-002-012-2015