I have been very fortunate in my life to have met many fascinating people. One of the most fascinating, and certainly one of the dearest, was Coretta Scott King.
This happened when I was 19 and working on the congressional campaign of Allard Lowenstein, on Long Island, NY. Al knew everyone in the world, as far as I could tell. His 'Christmas Card List', as he called it, was a who's who of celebrated people in politics, movies & tv, business, etc. He was the kind of man that was so charismatic, everyone fell a little bit in love with him.
One of the many friends of his that came to campaign for him that year was Mrs. King. She spent an entire day, going with Al to all of his events and hanging out with us at the campaign headquarters between engagements. She visited with every one of the staff...most of us college students from all over the country. She learned our names and asked us about our personal lives and, amazingly she remembered us all.
Later, she would call in to the office to chat with Al, if he was around. Then, she would ask to speak to each one of us, in turn, and ask us about that boyfriend, or mother who was ill, or place we had moved into, or whatever. We all felt so special. That is how she could make everyone feel.
I was sad to hear of Coretta King's stroke last year. She sat out the speechmaking at home this year, I heard on the radio today. She is getting old, I guess. But I still remember her as the wonderful, warm woman who treated us all as though we were friends or family. That takes a special kind of person, don't you think?
What a wonderful experience. I would love to meet her. Thanks for sharing that!
Posted by: Kim C | Sunday, January 22, 2006 at 12:55 PM
She spoke at my graduate school once and I was part of a choir that sang for her. It was a wonderful experience! Sounds like your's was even richer. Thanks for visiting my blog. I look forward to exploring your's some more. I'm actually just visiting in Denver. I live in Idaho. I've been to Portland several times and love it!
Posted by: vashti | Thursday, January 19, 2006 at 11:41 AM
I love this picture - so sweet. What a lot for a woman to carry - a husband on the road, changing the world, not being faithful (I hate to say it about MLK but no one's perfect, right?) - and then having such a big legacy to live into. What a gracious woman, and thanks for sharing this story.
Posted by: samantha | Wednesday, January 18, 2006 at 10:19 AM
Wow. What an amazing experience, and what an incredible woman. Sounds like she knew what it meant to care for people, and what it meant to make everyone feel important. What strength considering the same treatment was probably not always given to her.
Such a great story.
Posted by: Stephanie | Tuesday, January 17, 2006 at 10:31 PM
What an exciting event for you. At the time MLK was alive I never heard of him. (I was a little kid who paid no attention to the news.) Then he was killed, and when I learned what he was about, I wondered why I'd never heard of him. I lived in a fairly conservative little town (for Southern California), where people had resistant attitudes to even the changes that made nothing but sense. Attitudes are so hard to change. He truly was an American hero.
Posted by: Barbara W. Klaser | Tuesday, January 17, 2006 at 08:49 PM
It was fun 'hearing' this story again. So, so glad to have seen you today. And it tickles me that John left you a comment on this post. ;)
Posted by: Marilyn | Tuesday, January 17, 2006 at 07:58 PM
wow what a blessing bestowed upon you.
and such a gift you have given me by writing about her. this is how i always thought she would be
thank you
Posted by: kelly | Tuesday, January 17, 2006 at 07:46 PM
That is amazing!Some people just have a gift for that; I wish I did. I can barely remember details about what's going on in my friends' lives, much less keep track of that much info. I shook Ronald Reagan's hand at Sicks Stadium in Seattle before he was president. He was giving a speech there and I got talked into going. What he said in his speech gave me a distaste and fear of the man--and a hope that he would never become anyone important in politics. HAHAHA
Posted by: Margaret | Tuesday, January 17, 2006 at 03:49 PM
How wonderful to have met such an inspiring and caring person! All too often nowadays, our public leaders, heroes and heroines seem to turn out to have feet of clay once you actually meet them. What a great memory to have met one of the Real heroines of history!
Posted by: tinker | Tuesday, January 17, 2006 at 11:10 AM
I didn't know this. Did you know that I ran into MLK when I was at Stanford? He had given a speech to the school. After the event he was trying to find his car. In the confusion he came by me. His eyes looked fearful. He was lost and there were a lot of people around and no security. He was shot a few months later.
Posted by: John | Tuesday, January 17, 2006 at 08:55 AM
She sounds like an extraordinary woman! You are so fortunate to have met her, as it sounds like she truly and deeply cares about people. Thanks for sharing that experience!
Posted by: Amy | Tuesday, January 17, 2006 at 03:18 AM
What a wonderful memory and experience! You truly have been blessed to have met such intriguing people.
I have a terrible and probably typical memory: Back in the late '70s, my husband at that time received a chatty letter from his grandmother from down in southern California. She happened to mention (in a chatty old-lady way) that she'd sent my ex's grandpa to the post office to get stamps, and he returned with Martin Luther King, Jr. stamps. She was apalled. She said in her letter (all chatty and old-lady-clueless): "There's no way I'll lick the back end of a stamp with HIS face on the the other side."
Sigh. I'm certain that attitude still exists in many places.
Posted by: Tonya | Monday, January 16, 2006 at 11:11 PM