Tuesday, January 31, 2006
King For A Day, Queen For A Time
The phrase "end of an era" is over-used. However, it is most appropriate in the case of the passing of Coretta Scott King today at the age of 78. For nearly four decades, she was one of the most famous widows in history, the woman who chose to publicly carry on the dream of one of America's greatest visionaries and orators.
Within days of her husband's assassination, Mrs. King walked in a march where he had planned to participate; she refused to cancel the event, despite her grief. Even in the face of Martin Luther King Jr.'s death by violence, she remained committed to his philosophy of producing social change through non-violence.
And she persevered, even in the face of the many books released that revealed King's infidelity. A lesser woman could have chosen to retreat from the public life or buckled under the burden of being forever "married" to an icon. None would have begrudged her a few years of privacy away from the spotlight and the perpetual political noise of the day.
But Coretta Scott King was not a lesser woman. To the best of her ability, she kept the "dream" going.
Much thanks to her lengthy service to this nation.
Tags: civil rights, Coretta Scott King, Martin Luther King, Jr.
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Within days of her husband's assassination, Mrs. King walked in a march where he had planned to participate; she refused to cancel the event, despite her grief. Even in the face of Martin Luther King Jr.'s death by violence, she remained committed to his philosophy of producing social change through non-violence.
And she persevered, even in the face of the many books released that revealed King's infidelity. A lesser woman could have chosen to retreat from the public life or buckled under the burden of being forever "married" to an icon. None would have begrudged her a few years of privacy away from the spotlight and the perpetual political noise of the day.
But Coretta Scott King was not a lesser woman. To the best of her ability, she kept the "dream" going.
Much thanks to her lengthy service to this nation.
Tags: civil rights, Coretta Scott King, Martin Luther King, Jr.
