Remembering Coretta and Martin

Almost one year ago I lined up outside of the Georgia State Capitol to pay my respects to Coretta Scott King, the wife of Dr. King. On that Saturday, thousands came out to remember and mourn the loss of a great American. Sadly, the number of white faces in the crowd of mourners could be counted on two hands. Present were thousands of mostly poor black men, women and children. Their coats were old and some torn and not sufficient for that cold afternoon in Atlanta. Bundled up the best they could, the mourners stood in line for hours to catch a glimpse of Mrs. King despite the cold weather, nasty wind, and light rain. It was clear that Coretta Scott King was not regarded as just the widow of Dr. King. She was much much more than that.

After Dr. King's death, Coretta Scott King continued to carry on his legacy. For years she fought hard to have his birthday recognized as a national holiday. Finally, in 1986 that dream was realized.

During the 1980s, Coretta Scott King voiced her opposition to apartheid by participating in a series of sit-in protests in Washington. These sit-in's prompted demonstrations throughout the United States against South African racial policies.

Coretta Scott King always advocated for world peace and was especially active in her opposition to the development of more and more nuclear weapons. She opposed both capital punishment and the 2003 invasion of Iraq. A supporter of women's rights, Coretta Scott King believed that an injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. Thus, her advocacy for equality extended beyond the African-American community and into the LGBT community. She once stated that "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."

I'm reminded of the popular saying that "behind every great man is a great woman."

The legacy of both Dr. King and Mrs. King must never die.

"Struggle is a never ending process. Freedom is never really won, you earn it and win it in every generation." - Coretta Scott King