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.He announced that despite a federalinjunction, he would lead a march of local garbage collec-tors and others on April 8.march was more than a demonstration for local garbagecollectors: It was a public testament to the moral justice ofnonviolence and proof that no evil could match the Christianbelief in the power of love. Then, Coretta wrote in My Life with Martin LutherKing, Jr., the mantle of prophecy seemed to descend uponMartin. Against the eerie backdrop of a spring storm thatwas brewing outside, Martin told the demonstrators, Like 98CORETTA SCOTT KINGanybody else, I would like to live a long life.Longevity hasits place.But I m not concerned with that now.I just wantto do God s will. So it was that the next day, April 4, Martin Luther King, Jr.,was standing on his motel balcony, briefly alone, preparingto join his friends and associates for a quick dinner beforeattending a meeting.In that instant he was fatally shot.In thatinstant came the end of an era in the history of civil rights. 19Black MadonnaImmediately after Martin Luther King, Jr. s, assassination, riotingerupted all across the United States.Even in those first bleakdays after her husband s death, Coretta Scott King knew,however, that his dream of justice and peace could not beallowed to die with him.Countless newspaper stories covered her husband s funeral.Reporters compared Coretta s demeanor with the dignified airof former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy at President Kennedy sfuneral in 1963.Words such as grace, resilience, courage, andstrength were used frequently.One reporter, after observingher during the funeral service at Ebenezer Baptist Church,described Coretta as a Black Madonna likening her toAfrican-American depictions of Mary.This flood of praise may have come as a surprise to Coretta,who later wrote admiringly of Mrs.Kennedy s deportmentduring the president s funeral.Despite her quiet courage,9999 100CORETTA SCOTT KINGImmediately after Martin s assassination, rioting erupted allacross the United States.Here, one of the many fires set bylooters rages out of control in Chicago.Coretta felt vulnerable even as she consoled her children andattended to Martin s unfinished business affairs.Coretta sreligious faith and the love and concern of friends from nearand far were her only anchors.Harry Belafonte provided a shoulder for Coretta to leanon.He also had provided for her and her children s financialsecurity: Martin had not made elaborate plans for his family s 101Black Madonnafiscal well-being in the event of his death.In fact, he had beenso unconcerned about wealth or possessions that he had givenmost of his earnings to the nonviolent movement and report-edly set aside just $5,000 for his family.Knowing this, accord-ing to Ebony magazine, Belafonte had taken out a $500,000insurance policy in Martin s name years before the civil rightsleader s death.KEEPER OF THE DREAMCoretta almost instantly stepped into her husband s emptyshoes to continue promoting his causes.Much of Martin simmediate work had to be completed, she believed, and thiswas not the time to become consumed by grief.She honoredas many of her husband s public appearances and speakingengagements as possible.An antiwar rally in Central Park wasplanned for April 27, which happened to be Coretta s birthday.She searched through Martin s personal papers and found notesfor a speech called The 10 Commandments on Vietnam, which he had been preparing for the rally.Coretta usedMartin s notes to make her presentation.The Poor People s Campaign could not be canceled.OnMay 2, 1968, Coretta helped launch the campaign from thebalcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis the place whereher husband had been struck down.Martin s brother stoodwith her as she unveiled a plaque to honor her late husband.Looking out at the audience of a thousand people, Corettaspoke earnestly: I pledge eternal loyalty to the work myhusband nobly began.His legacy will lead us to the pointwhere all God s children have shoes. The day before Dr.King s funeral, Coretta led the Memphisprotest march that Martin had planed to lead.Her childrenbeside her, she led a crowd of more than 25,000 marchers fora mile past the silent onlookers
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