THE CAPITAL TIMES Civil rights advocate Loretta Scott King dies at 78 By DIANE KENNEY Guest Reporter DMK29S@PSU EDU People often say behind every great man there is a greater woman. That's easy enough to say, but can you stand behind it? One extraordinary woman had the capability to back this up. Now I'm sure women such as Eleanor Roosevelt and her work with the poverty stricken come to mind; maybe even a woman like Abigail Adams, and her contributions to women's rights. Both these women were amazing and their work is and should be appreciated. This article, however, will be dedicated to the life and times of the one, the only Coretta Scott King. Mrs. King was born on April 27, 1927, in Perry County, Ala. At an early age she was exposed to the segregation of southern society. Coretta Scott King, wife of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., died on Jan. 31 at age 78 A King's Queen She was forced to walk five miles every day to a one-room schoolhouse, while white students had the leisure of riding a bus. While attending college at Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio she took an interest in the civil rights movement and became a member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) as well as the college's Race Relations and Civil Liberties Committees. After graduating college with a bachelor's degree in music and education, she received a scholarship to attend the New England Conservatory of music in Boston, Mass. It was in Boston that Mrs. King met the man that profoundly changed her life. A young Martin Luther King Jr. was studying theology when they met. It was 1953 when they married and, a year later, they February 6, 2006 moved to Montgomery, Ala. where King accepted a position as a minister at a Baptist church. Soon after moving home to Alabama, trouble arose. It was Rosa Park's refusal to give up her bus seat that triggered the civil rights movement. While under the leadership of King Jr., with his wife at his side, the boycott of the public buses arrived in Montgomery, Ala. As a result of the boycott, the court decided to stop segregation on all public transportation. It was because of the Kings' non-violent civil disobedience that made them the most recognizable faces of the civil rights movement. After the success in Montgomery the Kings were asked to lead marches, city after city. Though the Kings could be viewed as successful in their efforts to stop segregation, not everyone agreed. In 1956, a white supremacist bombed their home. Martin Luther King was not there, and Coretta Scott King barely escaped, without injury, with the couples' first child. To help support her husband's activist work, Mrs. King performed a series of freedom concerts combining poetry, narration, to tell the Rights Movement. Mrs. King did this as fundraising for her husband and The Southern Christian Leadership Conference, an organization that he founded. Mrs. King became increasingly well known and called-for as a public speaker. She was the first woman to speak at the Class Day Address at Harvard, and the first woman to preach at a statutory service at St. Paul's Cathedral in London.ln 1968, King Jr., was assassinated in Memphis Tennessee. Mrs. King became dedicated to living out his dreams and continuing to fulfill his work. She started the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolence Social Change. Mrs. King spent years fundraising and lobbying. She continued to serve the cause of justice and human rights throughout the world. Her travels took her on goodwill missions to Africa, Latin America, Europe, and Asia. Mrs. King led a successful campaign to have Jan. 15 celebrated as a national holiday in remembrance of her husband. The first observance of the holiday took place in 1986 and is now celebrated in over 100 countries. As many might have noticed here on campus the flag has been at half-mast as we celebrate the life and times of Coretta Scott King. Mrs. King passed away on Jan.3l, 2006, at the age of 78 but she will remain an inspirational figure to many men and women across the world. MUSIC of the Civil IDOL: Students take the stage Sean Stanton and Erica Cook entertained the crowd with their rendi tion of Shake It Off by Mariah Carey. Continued from page 1 Mike Edwards and Dave Salberg put on an entertaining performance of "Believer," famously known from the movie Shrek. "You made a believer out of me," said Horton. Augie Bravo and Erin Moskalczak put on an entertaining performance of "Barbie Girl." Brown-Haywood said, "My interpretation is still in my imagination." Some performers like Andrew "Dickie" Scott sang twice. He sang "Kryptonite" and then a few songs later "Pretty Fly for a White Guy" where Duffy said, "Better than your first performance." "Unfortunately, it was obvious that singing talent at Penn State Harrisburg is few and far between," said Dougherty. Yet those who did seem to have singing ability knew that when they got standing ovations. Brooke Messmer sang "The Power of Love" and Jennifer Colna with "Hopelessly Devoted," earned high praise and compliments from all in attendance. The performer who stood out the most was. Victor Rodriguez, the only performer who did not use karaoke to for accompaniment but his guitar. As the night went on, time started to run out and the judges' comments were subsided. The last entertainers of the night with "Baby Got Back" were Danielle and LaToya. "It got way better at the end," said Curtis Munoz, junior. "They saved the best for last." Once all was "sung" and done, Rodriguez came out on top and was named Penn State Idol. The dynamic duo of Edwards and Salberg came in second. All three were given a $5O gift certificate to Damon's Bar & Grill. Jeff Howland who sang "All or Nothing" came in third, winning a $25 gift certificate to Home Depot. O'Holla came in fourth winning a Middletown Pool pass. Overall, Penn State Idol was a huge success for THON and as sophomore Katelyn Fowler said, "a wonderful way to bring everyone together."
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