Coretta Scott King Remembered

"First Lady of the Civil Rights Movement" Shared Husband's Vision

Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson was online Tuesday, Feb. 7, at 2 p.m. ET to discuss the legacy of Coretta Scott King , 78, the "first lady of the civil rights movement." King had marched alongside Martin Luther King Jr. during the historic Montgomery bus boycott in 1955 and the March on Washington in 1963 and shared his vision during the height of the Civil Rights movement. She was widowed by her husband's assassination in 1968 but remained active in the decades after his death, helping to establish the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change in Atlanta and lobbying to have his birthday turned into a national holiday. King leaves four children, Yolanda, Martin Luther III, Dexter and Bernice.

The funeral service is scheduled for noon on Tuesday at the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, where her daughter is a minister. Among the many expected dignitaries are President Bush and former President Clinton .

Read Robinson's column: No One Will Fill Her Shoes , ( Post, Feb. 1, 2006 )

The transcript follows.

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Eugene Robinson: Hello, everyone. I'm happy to be here for the next hour to talk about the life and times of Coretta Scott King, as an amazing crowd of dignitaries gathers in Atlanta for her funeral.

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Takoma Park, Md.: I would like to know, why George Bush is allowed to speak at Mrs King's funeral? It is a disservice her. It disturbs me greatly, and I believe it would disturb both she and her husband.

Eugene Robinson: I 'm not sure whether either Mrs. King or Dr. King would object to the president's speaking. She certainly disagreed with many of his policies, and I'm sure he would have too. But their lives were about speaking truth to power, and so I think they would have wanted the president of the United States to attend -- and they would want him to know what they thought of how he's running the country.

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Washington, D.C.: Mr. Robinson --

Don't get me wrong -- I admired Dr. King and, to a lesser extent, Mrs. King as well. But isn't this all overkill?

I don't think there was so much attention paid to Jackie Kennedy when she passed on. Nor will there be such attention paid to Nancy Reagan, Betty Ford, Hillary Clinton or any other notable spouse.

Why the overkill?

Eugene Robinson: It's not overkill. As the years go by, the civil rights movement looms larger and larger as one of the great events of the 20th century. Coretta King was much more than a spouse, she was a partner in the movement and she carried on after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s death. She has been an icon for the past 38 years, and her passing is a big deal.

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Washington, D.C.: In addition to being a civil rights icon, I consider Coretta Scott King the ultimate single mom. As a single mother myself, I have such a healthy respect for her and what she accomplished in her life. She challenged us raising children - especially black children - to make certain they go beyond expectations to succeed in this world.

When times for me get tough, I just remember how much harder it had to be for her...then I realized that not only do I have a mission to raise a child to be a successful adult but a responsibility to be a better parent to him everyday. Thank you Mrs. King.

Eugene Robinson: That, to me, is one of the more poignant aspects of her life. After her husband was killed, she had no possibility of living a normal life. She had to live a legacy, and that must have been incredibly difficult. It must have been tough for the kids, too. Coretta King had four children -- and not one grandchild. That's really unusual, and somehow I think it speaks to the pressures this family unit must have had to endure.

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Glenview, Ill., transplant from New Orleans: Isn't it extremely hypocritical for Bush 43 to turn up at Mrs. King's funeral? I hope it doesn't delude my black brothers and sisters into thinking that he actually cares about them.

Eugene Robinson: I think that in light of all the questions raised about the president's concern (or lack thereof) for African Americans, he couldn't possibly have missed this funeral. I notice that he even made reference to an old Gospel song (Leaning on the Everlasting Arm). But in terms of fitting in at a black Baptist church, he's no Clinton...

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Washington, D.C.: There seems to be an awful lot of politicians speaking. If fact, there seems to be too many speakers. I know that people wants to pay their respects, but It seems that there is not enough rejoicing and singing. But that's just my opinion.

Eugene Robinson: Agreed. Yes, she was an important political figure. But for long stretches, the religious nature of the ceremony almost gets lost. They scheduled all these people to speak for three minutes apiece, but I don't think any of them could say "good morning" in under three minutes.

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Anonymous: I am not sure it is a good thing but why do the media associate Mrs. King as 'royalty for the black community?' We all know how the royalty in Europe got rich back in the day.

Eugene Robinson: It's not "royalty" in terms of being rich and owning the crown jewels or anything, it's "royalty" in terms of being a kind of "first family." That's the way people treated Mrs. King and her children after MLK's death, and it wasn't something she could have escaped even if she'd wanted to.

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Washington, D.C.: Good afternoon Mr. Robinson. As an avid reader of your column, and with the void of Mr. Raspberry's departure, now more than ever, I commend you on your outlook and insight into the world of black America. Mrs. King passing is a lost to all of us - every American, that is. But with that loss, I feel that her role as African-American and female has left black women in a position to pick up the torch and continue to strive. Would you concur? Why or why not? In what manner should we, beyond our day to day responsibilities?

Eugene Robinson: Thanks for your overly kind words. I think Mrs. King's unflagging dedication is what defines her life, and what ultimately challenges all of us to do more. After MLK died, she didn't just become a curator of his life's work. She pushed ahead, speaking out on issues and charting her own path. She supported gay rights, for example, which is an issue her husband didn't really address. She really picked up the baton. Her example challenges us to find some way to make a difference, big or small.

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Washington, D.C.: Gene -

Coretta Scott King, Rosa Parks. May they both rest in peace. There was little consideration of letting Mrs. King lie in state, as with Mrs. Parks--and I believe that's the right decision. Can you help me verbalize why, while both are iconic legends in black history, this is the right result?

Eugene Robinson: I think it's because Rosa Parks was the protagonist at a key moment in the birth of the civil rights movement. While Mrs. King was a full partner in her husband's life and work, he was the protagonist. It seems right that Rosa Parks lay in repose at the Capitol, and it doesn't seem to me to be a slight that Mrs. King did not.

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Atlanta, Ga.: Is Maya Angelo sick? She seems to have aged rather quickly. She is still a beautiful speaker and woman.

Eugene Robinson: I had the same reaction. I don't know what's going on, but this is the first time I've seen her having difficulty walking, and the first time I've seen her looking so frail. She still has that powerful voice, though.

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Hampton Cove, Ala.: I am amazed at the respect given to all at the funeral. It is a tribute to Dr. King's legacy that people will listen if you can be heard. The mixture of faces, men & women, black & white, Republican & Democrat will ensure the funeral's message resonates. Why can't some politicians (hello Hillary Clinton) learn from this experience?

Eugene Robinson: I don't know what sort of lesson this is supposed to be for Sen. Clinton. Remember that when MLK and Mrs. King were fighting for my civil rights in Selma and Birmingham and all over the South, the nation was far from united in support of what he was doing. Forty years later, most Americans agree that racial discrimination is wrong. Some political figures who seem to be highly partisan today may seem less so in the future.

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Arlington, Va.: I read Mrs. King's obituary closely but it did not mention any survivors other than her four children. Are there any grandchildren?

Eugene Robinson: No grandchildren. I just find that an interesting fact that says something about the way the King family had to struggle to find private space in which to be just a family.

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Arlington, Va.: I realize many conservatives were not always respectful of Clinton but at least they didn't turn a funeral into a political rally. Even the comments on your chat seems that many on the left are partisan even in death. What a sad commentary.

Eugene Robinson: But I haven't heard anyone at the funeral speak in partisan terms of Democrat or Republican. I don't think you can ignore the fact that Mrs. King was dedicated to a set of ideals, to a specific philosophy, and in most respects these were not conservative ideals or a conservative philosophy.

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Boonsboro, Md.: Eugene, what ever happed to a respectful, dignified funeral service. People are cracking jokes and carrying on. Coretta King has worked hard during her lifetime to help bring equality for people and she has poured her heart into this effort. It seems that the lack of respect and dignity is very disrespectful to a black woman who has accomplished so much. Who planned this funeral?

Eugene Robinson: Mrs. King died at 78 after living as full a life as can be lived, and this is a celebration of that life. (But when I go, I don't want any celebrating. I want people to be sad as hell.)

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Bowie, Md.: Mr. Robinson, thanks for hosting this chat. As a boomer about to return to my hometown to take care of my mother and get off the fast track, I reflect on the choices and opportunities I've had in my life because of Mrs. King, Betty Friedan and Rosa Parks. As for both the Bushes, there is nowhere else they could be but praising Mrs. King.

Eugene Robinson: That's an amazing trio, isn't it? And didn't Bush 41 look more comfortable speaking at the funeral than Bush 43?

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Alexandria, Va.: Of COURSE they're being political... Jimmy Carter spoke about the "illegal wiretapping of Americans" and of the "color of the faces of the Katrina victims". It was a direct attack on President Bush, who was SITTING RIGHT BEHIND HIM. Totally inappropriate for a funeral.

Eugene Robinson: I suspect that those are things Mrs. King would have wanted someone to say.

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Arlington, Va.: Slightly off topic...I read recently that MLK frequently cheated on Coretta.

It came as a shock. I'd always seen him as a perfect guy, I think that's the way history remembers him.

But isn't it strange that a guy who advocated for a cause that was so right, would fall into something so wrong?

Any thoughts?

Eugene Robinson: MLK never claimed to be perfect. He just happened to be the right man at the right time, and he happened to have the genius to lead a great movement to triumph.

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Atlanta, Ga.: Mr. Robinson, maybe in a future column different styles of worship can be discussed? Some posters here seem to be insulted by and not understanding what is a Homegoing Celebration.

Eugene Robinson: That's a good idea. It does seem that some viewers are seeing this style of funeral worship for the first time.

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Milwaukee, Wis.: I saw they were preparing a temporary place for Mrs. King at the King Center. Are there plans to have her remain on the sight permanently? I think it would be befitting for the two of them to come together again and they symbolism of family could be greatly reinforced.

Eugene Robinson: I'll check, but I assumed that a permanent place would be prepared at the King Center and the two of them would rest together.

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Washington, D.C.: I find it enriching and encouraging that a black woman - one of such dignity and grace -who lived both a complex and simple life could garner the attention of four presidents and the U.S. Congress.

Every time I see a young black person acting out, throwing away opportunities... I just want to smack them and say, "look at what you are throwing away!"

Eugene Robinson: I agree. President Clinton just said something to the effect that if we want to call Mrs. King a role model, then we should emulate her life. That's exactly right. This funeral, with all the presidents attending, shows the expanded opportunities that she and her husband helped create for African Americans. Obstacles remain and racism persists, but we owe it to their legacy -- and to ourselves -- to take advantage of those opportunities. When we do not, we dishonor their memory.

Well, my time is up. Thanks, everybody, for tuning in. I'll be back to chat again soon.

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