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Honoring the Life and Accomplishments of Mrs. Coretta Scott King

Date: Jan. 31, 2006
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights


HONORING THE LIFE AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF MRS. CORETTA SCOTT KING -- (House of Representatives - January 31, 2006)

01/31/06

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Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay my respects to Coretta Scott King, a great woman who passed away yesterday. Mrs. King, the widow of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr., worked alongside her husband in promoting the dream of equality for all. Mrs. King continued the legacy of her husband after his death by remaining a vocal proponent of civil rights and founding the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change in Atlanta, Georgia.

Unfortunately, our nation has become increasingly divided about how to promote freedom and equality, both here at home and abroad. We have again experienced an increased number of hate crimes, more than half of which targeted victims because of race. As the costs of fuel, health care, and college education rise, we have been told we should cut important social programs. Such misguided priorities are falsely justified under the guise of fiscal responsibility, even though millionaires grow wealthier at the expense of the poor.

However, it is when we are most frustrated and disheartened by the world around us that Dr. and Mrs. King's message is most important. As we begin National Black History Month, we must remember the vital contributions that Dr. and Mrs. King made to the civil rights movement and let them inspire us to continue our nation's march toward equality. We must remember their heroism, compassion and a determination to make this country a better place. We must harness their passion to improve all aspects of our society, from education to health care to the economy. Our job, not just today but every day, is to act in such a manner that moves our nation a little further along that path to freedom. We do so with the hope that we, our children, and our grandchildren may experience the America that Dr. and Mrs. King envisioned for all of us.

Mrs. King will be greatly missed and our thoughts and prayers go out to her family, friends and all those who mourn her loss.

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