I’ve been dismayed over the years by the number of purportedly intelligent and fair-minded white people who have questioned why Coretta Scott King is so revered just because she was married to Dr Martin Luther King, Jr. But whenever I condescended to disabuse them of their ignorance in this respect, I merely sufficed to query – in kind – why was Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy so revered just because she was married to President John F. Kennedy.
If truth be told, however, what little iPINIONS knows about Mrs King’s life revolves entirely around her late husband’s legacy. Nonetheless, that she established the King Center to keep the flame of civil rights burning with such quiet dignity and resolve (and at such great personal sacrifice), is a testament to the laudable content of her character – irrespective of Dr King.
Nonetheless, it’s regrettable that the most recent news about Mrs King concerned her struggle with the massive stroke (that took her life during a blessed sleep last night) and the squabble amongst her children for (financial) control of the King Center.
Yet, notwithstanding her children and the cynical attempts by others to defile Dr King’s legacy, I have no doubt that Mrs King’s legacy (notable for making her husband’s birthday a national holiday) shall remain beyond reproach.
Click here for her full Obituary. And click here for my recent article defending Dr. King’s unimpeachable legacy.
Note: For very superstitious people, the writing’s on the wall: First Wendy Wasserstein, now Coretta Scott King; therefore, since these deaths come in 3s, the wonder is – who’s next?
Legacy Note: With over 5,600 posts spanning 20 years, I am easily the most prolific blogger on the most eclectic array of topics on the web. That makes The iPINIONS Journal an unparalleled archive of informed political and cultural commentary. Visit the ARCHIVES section in the sidebar or search by topic. You won’t find a more consistent, independent voice on world affairs.
chad archbold says
Anthony, I must say you have a bueatiful mind. You have done Mrs. King justice.
Montel
Anonymous says
“I’ve been dismayed over the years by the number of purportedly intelligent and fair-minded white people who have questioned why Coretta Scott King is so revered … “
So the implication is that these ‘white’ people, who remain nameless (what are we talking here 1, 2 ?), are necessarily ignorant of Mrs King’s importance because they tend to, as white people must, dismiss/ignore the contribution of all ‘non-white’ people to society.
Maybe it would be a good idea if you started to deal with your own prejudices. That chip Anthony ….
May I just point out that Americans in general (white, black and all the people in between) are ignorant on a lot of counts.
Here’s some facts:
According to the National Adult Literacy Survey, 42 million adult Americans can’t read; 50 million can recognize so few printed words they are limited to a 4th or 5th grade reading level.
I doubt many Americans could find most Continents on a map, let alone individual countries and the general level of ignorance in the States is certainly not limited to ‘white’ people.
Quiz a few ‘purportedly intelligent and fair-minded’ black people and find out how much they know about the leaders of their own community and their historical relevance.
And could you please drop stuff like this:
“television I deem worthy of my time each week”
“whenever I condescended to disabuse”
stuff like this is vomit making.
James says
Great article ALH
To anon above:
Hers’s a barf bag!