Coretta S. King given tributes not easily won for her husband--

[bliss_eternal]

King Funeral Reflects Civil Rights Gains By ERRIN HAINES, Associated Press Writer
Fri Feb 3, 6:43 PM ET



ATLANTA - When Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968, Georgia's few black legislators asked then-Gov. Lester Maddox, a fiery segregationist, if his body could lie in honor in the state Capitol.


Maddox not only swore he would never authorize a public tribute of King in the Capitol Rotunda, he was outraged to see state flags, then dominated by the Confederate Cross, flying at half-staff in tribute to a black man.

But in a sign of civil rights gains in the nearly 40 years since, the state plans to honor Martin Luther King Jr.'s widow, Coretta Scott King, with a public viewing at the Capitol.

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"This is not just a salute to Mrs. King. It's a tribute to her and her husband, and to all they stood for and did," said U.S. Rep. John Lewis (news, bio, voting record).

On Saturday, King will become the first woman and first black person to lie in honor at the Georgia Capitol. The state flag she helped to change — now bearing a much smaller Confederate battle emblem — was immediately lowered by Gov. Sonny Perdue and will wave at half-staff until her funeral Tuesday.

King's casket will lie in Ebenezer Baptist Church for most of Monday. Her funeral will be held at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, where the Kings' youngest child, Bernice, is a minister.

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Taken from:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060203/ap_on_re_us/coretta_scott_king

Excerpt from:

http://www.nj.gov/governor/news/news/approved/20060202.html

CORZINE ORDERS FLAGS TO FLY AT HALF-STAFF TO HONOR

CORETTA SCOTT KING

TRENTON - In honor of Coretta Scott King, Governor Jon S. Corzine signed an executive order calling for the United States and New Jersey flags to fly at half-staff on Friday February 3, 2006.

A copy of the executive order is below:

EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 2

WHEREAS, Coretta Scott King spent a full and productive life as a wife, mother, musician, author and leader for fundamental social change on behalf of the poor and disenfranchised; and

WHEREAS, New Jersey, the country and the world are better today because of her commitment to social justice and non-violence; and

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WHEREAS, she struggled against apartheid in South Africa, against poverty in South America and against AIDS and gun violence in this country; and

WHEREAS, she led the effort to designate a national holiday in memory of her husband Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and to establish the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change in Atlanta, Georgia; and

WHEREAS, those efforts will help make the King family’s legacy of courage, non-violence and sense of justice endure long after her passing; and

WHEREAS, her leadership in support of civil rights, employment opportunity and equality has been a strong and steady beacon for non-violent social change throughout the world; and

WHEREAS, it is with great sadness that we celebrate the life of Coretta Scott King, mourn her passing and extend our sincere sympathy to her family and friends; and

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NOW, THEREFORE, I, JON S. CORZINE, Governor of the State of New Jersey, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and by the Statutes of this State, do hereby ORDER and DIRECT:

1. The flag of the United States of America and the flag of the State of New Jersey shall be flown at half-staff at all State departments, offices, agencies and instrumentalities during appropriate hours on Friday, February 3, 2006, in recognition and mourning of the passing of Coretta Scott King.



:patriot: