Coretta Scott King

By gedward on February 1, 2006 8:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

There's probably no one more important with regards to civil rights in this country the past century than Martin Luther King Jr. His 1963 "I Have a Dream" speech, at once both powerful and evocative, was a vision based on equality and colorblindness. His preaching of non-violent activism, which earned Dr. King a Nobel Peace Prize and Presidential Medal of Freedom, still reverberates today. And although his dream has yet to be fully realized, there's no doubt his efforts and his principles helped to make a difference for everyone's civil rights in this country.

Unfortunately, Dr. King was assassinated nearly 38 years ago in the prime of his life. But through the efforts of his beloved wife, Coretta Scott King, his "Dream" lived on -- and still does today. Sadly, Mrs. King died yesterday, barely 2 weeks following her late husband's national holiday -- something she fought hard herself to make a reality.

Along with Rosa Parks, Mrs. King's passing marks the second significant passing of an American civil rights icon in less than a year. Hopefully, their passings will only illuminate their visions and not dim them.

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