After a recent interview with ABC, actor Jonathan Majors, found himself in the crosshairs of Martin Luther King Jr.’s daughter, Bernice King, after invoking the name of Coretta Scott King, MLK’s widow. With allegations of assault and harassment looming, Jonathan defends his use of Coretta’s name, expressing his utmost respect for the iconic figure and her enduring legacy.

Jonathan’s Comments That Sparked Initial Backlash

Addressing the backlash, Jonathan emphasizes his intention to convey respect for Coretta Scott King, acknowledging her monumental achievements and the profound connection she shared with her husband. He explains that his admiration extends to both Coretta’s personal legacy and her crucial role in American and world history.

Jonathan further highlights the powerful influence Coretta Scott King has had on him and his girlfriend, actress Meagan Good. In fact, he compares Meagan’s unwavering support to that of Coretta, stating, “She’s an angel. … She’s held me down like a Coretta. I’m so blessed to have her.” Jonathan’s reference to Coretta seemingly as an angelic figure demonstrated his respect for her. However, it also sparked backlash from many online who pointed out the irony that Jonathan was telling his White girlfriend (at that time) to emulate an African-American civil rights icon; and the first African-American First Lady of the U.S.

Majors Addresses Bernice King’s Concerns?

Following the interview, Bernice King took to X (formerly Twitter) to swiftly express her discontent, pointing out that her iconic mother should not be treated as a prop:

“My mother wasn’t a prop.” – Bernice A. King

While Jonathan does not mention the interaction directly in his latest statement, he assured that his intentions regarding his comments about Coretta Scott-King were pure and rooted in respect:

Via TMZ – “My intention was to convey my utmost respect for Coretta Scott King, her achievements, and both her personal legacy and the one she shares with her husband, Dr. Martin Luther King. … Coretta “is a great woman, a very important figure in American and world history, and someone both Meagan and I are inspired by and deeply admire.” – Jonathan Majors

The Trial and Jonathan’s Previous Coretta Comparison

During the trial, audio clips revealed that Jonathan had encouraged his ex-girlfriend, Grace Jabbari, to emulate both Coretta Scott King and Michelle Obama. It is clear that Jonathan holds these influential women in high regard. But the jury found him guilty of assault and harassment against Jabbari, despite viewing surveillance footage of Jonathan running away from Grace during their alleged altercation.

Only Time Will Tell

In spite of the criticism and potential implications, as y’all can see…Jonathan remains unapologetic for utilizing Coretta’s name. He firmly asserts that his immense respect for her remains intact. Only time will reveal how – or if – Coretta’s fam’ will respond to after Jonathan’s latest statement.

The post Jonathan Majors Responds After Martin Luther King’s Daughter Seemingly Shades Him appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

When Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was brutally assassinated on April 4, 1968, his younger brother, Rev. Alfred Daniel “A.D.” King, was with him on that tragic day. That day is forever marked in history, as death the incredibly brave civil rights icon, MLK. The day that has gone largely unnoticed, is the death of MLK’s baby brother, A.D. King- also a civil rights leader- the following year in 1969. As we continue to honor the legacy of Dr. King, we also wanted to shine light on the legacy and mysterious death of the brother who was hidden in MLK’s shadow.

Rare 8 second video of A.D. King speaking at his brother’s funeral. And he sounds just like MLK. pic.twitter.com/UG0yt5PPWF

— Boss (@_ValTown_) April 5, 2018

Mysterious Details Of A.D. King’s Death

Just 15 months after Dr. King Jr. was assassinated, A.D. King died under suspicious circumstances. A.D. was extremely close to his brother, Martin. Following MLK’s assassination, A.D.’s widow, Naomi King, revealed to Seattle Times, that “He never recovered, because he felt it was his duty to protect his brother.”

On July 20, 1969, A.D.’s daughter, Alveda King, overheard him on the phone at their home, venting about MLK’s murder:

“They killed my brother. I’m gonna find out who did it,” he told someone on the phone, as Alveda stood nearby.

The following day, on July 21, 1969 -just 9 days before his 39th birthday- Rev. A.D. King, an avid swimmer, was found dead at the bottom of their family’s pool.

Family’s Suspicions

Following his death, King family members had suspicions about how he’d ‘accidentally died…
A.D. King’s daughter, Alveda King:

“Daddy was killed and put in the pool,” said Alveda, who was at work when the body was discovered. “When they pulled the body out, they began to pump his chest, but no water came out. One of the emergency people said he was dead when he hit the water.” Naomi flew back to Atlanta and, after identifying his body in the morgue, came to the same conclusion. -via ST

A.D.’s wife, Naomi King:

“Absolutely, he was murdered,” Naomi King said. “He was an excellent swimmer. There was no water in his lungs. He was in the fetal position. He had a bruised forehead. Rings around his neck. And he was in his underwear. He was murdered.” For his part, Daddy King said publicly that the civil-rights movement killed both of his sons, furthering the family narrative. -via ST

His Overlooked Legacy

A.D. King was a well known pastor in throughout Birmingham, AL, where he fought for civil rights alongside his brother, MLK, and pastored his own church. He was also known among the confines of their family’s popular Ebenezer Church in Atlanta, Ga. In addition to that, he’s endured many of the struggles several other civil rights leaders did during the 1950’s and 60’s, including having his home bombed while he and his family were still in it, becoming a political prisoner, etc.. Yet, A.D. King’s legacy is still overlooked.

Dear friend of MLK and civil rights activist/former Atlanta mayor, Andrew Young, was by A.D. King’s side, consoling him as they both watched Dr. King die on that Lorraine Hotel balcony in ‘1968. Young later explained, to Seattle Times, why A.D.’s legacy was tucked away in the shadows of American history:

“A.D. King, if it hadn’t been for Martin and Daddy King [MLK Sr.,their father], would have been a prominent preacher in this city, because he was very good,” said Andrew Young. … “But he was Martin’s baby brother. The younger brother becomes the caricature. Somebody that they pick on.”

A.D.’s wife raised a great question:

“How can you be forgotten if you never been known?” asked Naomi.

Rev. Willie Bolden, good friend of A.D. revealed this:

“His [A.D.] strategy was to support his brother. … He never tried to usurp any of the limelight. Many people didn’t even know Martin Luther King had a brother.”

Rev. A.D. King was more than just the ‘unknown King brother,’ he was a father to his and Naomi’s five children- Alveda, Alfred, Derek, Esther and Vernon; a devoted husband; loyal brother; a pastor; and unsung hero of the civil rights fight.

Read How Dr. King’s and A.D. King’s Mother Was Brutally Murdered Shortly After Their Deaths HERE.

The post Brother Of MLK Died Suspiciously Months After Dr. King, But Here’s Why Many Never Knew appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

After the King’s were married by MLK Jr.’s father, Martin Luther King Sr., on the front lawn of Coretta’s parents’ home in Marion, AL, they were cheered on and given well wishes by their family, as they drove off into what appeared to be a picture perfect wedding day.

Lo and behold, the the newlyweds were rejected by a whites-only hotel, but they refused to allow a little rejection kill their newlywed joy. So, they did the next best thing of course — drove to a Black-owned funeral home owned by their friend (who was also the undertaker) and spent their wedding night there instead. Here’s what was written in Martin Luther King Jr.: Warrior For Peace:

“I suppose it does sound funny,” Coretta would recall, “but one has to realize there were no hotels with bridal suites for African Americans in that part of the country.”

The funeral home was actually a large house, with several rooms that were not in use. Therefore, the King’s stay there probably wasn’t as funeral-ish as it seems on the outside.

Just another Old School fun fact on this wonderful MLK Day about two of the greatest civil rights icons to have ever been born. Rest on Mrs. Coretta and Dr. King.

The post Here’s Why Dr. King And Coretta Had To Celebrate Their Wedding Night In A Funeral Home appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

Many of us may or may not have heard about the time when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was nearly killed years before he was actually assassinated. The day was September 20, 1958 and the would be murderer, then 42 year Izola Curry, was to blame.

The Murder Attempt

On that fateful day in Sept. 1958, Dr. King Jr. was at Blumstein’s Department Store in Harlem, where he was signing autographs for his autobiographical book, “Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story” (a great read by the way). Everything was going smoothly, until Izola Curry walked up to the autograph table. She was wearing cat glasses, a nice dress suit, and holding a large black handbag. Curry calmly walked up to Dr. King and asked “Is this Martin Luther King?”

A then 29 year old King kindly smiled as he continued signing books and stated “Yes.” That’s when Izola pulled a 7-inch steel letter opener out of her purse and stabbed Dr. King, Jr. in his chest, to the surprise of everyone in attendance. Curry didn’t try to run away from the scene and she was soon apprehended by authorities, who discovered that she’d also stashed a Galesi-Brescia .25 caliber pistol in her bra. She stated that she had no plans on using the gun on Dr. King, but rather on anyone who would try to attack her after stabbing him.

MLK Jr. was immediately helped by bystanders on the scene and tended to, while the letter opener remained lodged in his chest. Thankfully some of the onlookers knew not to try to remove the knife from his chest, because he could have died on the spot had they done so.

“No Ill Will”

King was soon rushed to a nearby NY hospital for emergency surgery and 10 days later he spoke from the hospital, to let the world know he had “no ill will” toward Curry for stabbing him. He also was gracious enough to wish Curry the best and hoped that she got the help she desperately needed. Talk about a class act, right?

Why Izola Curry Stabbed King

According to police records, Izola believed Dr. King and the NAACP had been trying to kill her and blocking her from finding employment:

Via TheSmokingGun- NYPD Officer Anthony Buancore, who arrested Curry, recalled that she said of King, “He took away my freedom. He and the NAACP were after me. This has been going on for the last five years. It’s a frameup and I lost job after job because of them.”

Dr. King’s Recollection Of The Stabbing

During Dr. King’s infamous “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech at Mason Temple, which took place just one day before he was assassinated by James Earl Ray on April 4, 1968, he recalled the day Izola Curry stabbed him:

Via TSR: Two months after the stabbing, Curry was diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic by psychiatrists, who revealed to the courts that she had an IQ of 70- “low average intelligence”- and was suffering from a very poor “state of insanity.” Although Curry was indicted for attempted murder, a Manhattan judge determined that she should be committed to the Matteawan State Hospital for the Criminally Insane.

“You know, several years ago, I was in New York City autographing the first book that I had written. And while sitting there autographing books, a demented black woman came up,” King told the Mason Temple audience. “Before I knew it, I had been stabbed by this demented woman. I was rushed to Harlem Hospital. It was a dark Saturday afternoon. That blade had gone through, and the X-rays revealed that the tip of the blade was on the edge of my aorta, the main artery. And once that’s punctured, you drowned in your own blood, that’s the end of you.” King added, “It came out in The New York Times the next morning that if I had merely sneezed, I would have died.”

In conclusion of his recollection of the stabbing and reflection of how his journey for equality would have been cut way too short, had he sneezed, Dr. King closed out with,“I’m so happy that I didn’t sneeze.”

What Happened To Izola Curry’s Life After Stabbing Dr. King

When Curry was first admitted to psych hospitals following her attack on MLK, hospital officials oftentimes noted that she showed zero remorse for trying to kill Dr. King. She was “generally suspicious, seclusive and resentful of correction. She is nasty and abusive at times,” officials stated in one clinical summary. She also talked to herself in her room and was noted as saying “The S.O.B. Rev. King ought to be here.”

As years went on, she became less problematic and more pleasant according to hospital employees. She also began to have zero recollection of the crime she’d committed in her latter years of life:

Vis TSG: Curry remained in the “Family Care” program, apparently residing in at least one other Queens home since Dr. Finger provided an update on her condition. Curry told a TSG reporter she was living in a “Family Care” residence in Queens when she fell and injured her left leg (which prompted her admission to the long-term nursing home).

At the end of a recent visit, a Hillside Manor attendant approached Curry to let her know that lunch would soon be served. When a reporter asked how she liked the food at the home, Curry remarked that she does not eat much, since she watches her weight. When told that was not often a concern for someone pushing 100, Curry offered her visitor a broad smile.

Soon after her interview with TSG, Izola Curry died at the age of 98, much like she’d lived out the last five decades of her life- in a state of obscurity. Ms. Curry passed away with no family, no children, and no loved ones by her side. She took her last breathe on March 7, 2015 at Hillside Manor Nursing Home in Manhattan, NY, not too far from where she’d committed her assassination attempt against Dr. Martin Luther King.

Source1, Source2, Source3, Source4

The post The Woman Who Stabbed Dr. King Died In 2015, Here’s What Happened To Her Life Though appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

The late, great Dr. Martin Luther King, had a very inspiring dream back in the day, but what his niece is doing today, probably wasn’t part of it. A while back we featured an article about Alveda King, whom made her entrance into the forefront of mainstream when she began heavily campaigning for Trump during his candidacy. Many were shocked that the niece of one of the most fearless and profound civil rights leaders would endorse someone who has managed to offend damn near every minority group within our society- women, African Americans, Hispanics, the LGBTQ community, and..well, y’all get the point. Anywho, scroll down and get a load of what Alveda and several other influential Black pastors did yesterday and why they’re now catchin’ all kinds of hell over it today.

Pastors: ‘Trump’s The Most Pro-Black President Yet’

It was my great honor to be joined by leading pastors and faith leaders from across our Nation today at the @WhiteHouse! pic.twitter.com/6sS1zGA1p7

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 1, 2018

Many were confused by why a televised roundtable gathering, which the White House labeled as, “Meeting with Inner City Pastors,” occurred on Thursday. During the discussion, well known Black pastors, including Pastor John Gray- one of OWN Network’s reality stars- sat around Trump and praised all that he’s been doing.

Lo and behold, Pastor Darrell Scott was also in attendance. Y’all remember Scott right? He’s the one who has been labeled a sell-out for oftentimes criticizing the Black community and praising Trump, alongside Omarosa during Trump’s presidential run.

During their photo opp’ Kumbayah pow-wow with Trump, Darrell Scott and Alveda King enthusiastically agreed that Trump is “the most pro-Black president” of all time. In the video clip below, Darrell made the following statement, as Alveda sat next to Trump, over-actively smiling and nodding her head in agreement with him:

“This is probably the most pro-active administration regarding urban America and the faith-based community in my lifetime,” said Darrell Scott. “This is probably going be … the most pro-Black president that we’ve had in our lifetime.”

What do you think they got out of this? It had to be more than this 2 second news clip. Are they now equity partners in Trump Inc. or something.

Because we all know that this is all lies. pic.twitter.com/BmBDbgJF5A

— deray (@deray) August 2, 2018

Pastor John Gray opened up the meeting with a prayer, while seemingly attempting to use a quote from Alevda’s Uncle Martin, to try to justify why he was there. In his prayer, Gray referenced the time that MLK once said African Americans need to be seated at the table:

“God, we thank you for an opportunity to speak about the hearts of those who sometimes cannot fight for themselves. Thank you for this moment to be able to share our hearts with the president and his administration,” Gray prayed, according to White House transcripts. “Dr. King said we cannot influence a table that we are not seated at. And so we pray that this conversation will be fruitful, and productive, and honoring of the best traditions of this nation.”

Pastor Jamal Bryant Slams Preachers For Sitting At That Table

After the meeting went viral, many fans slammed the hell outta the pastors for getting absolutely nothing accomplished, other than a photo opp.’ That sentiment is also exactly what infamous pastor and John Gray’s former “The Preachers” co-host, Jamal Bryant, went live on Periscope to go off about:

Retweeted jamalbryant (@jamalhbryant):

Chairs with no legs…..black preachers at the table with trump! https://t.co/KABfLRxFTh https://t.co/KABfLRxFTh

— jamalbryant (@jamalhbryant) August 2, 2018

“My heart is heavy,” Bryant stated in his Periscope video. “We are in a dark, dismal and difficult time when basketball players and rappers have more moral authority than preachers. […] He [God] said, ‘I prepare a table for you in the presence of my enemies’ All these preachers that went. God provided the table and you just walked away with a photo op. And you walked away with nothing.”

Singer, Tweet, should be proud of her man, Pastor Bryant, for standing up against his religious brethren on this one. Thoughts ILOSM fam?’

The post MLK’s Niece & Pastors Say Trump ‘Most Pro-Black Pres.’ In Meeting, Get Blasted By Many appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

Embed from Getty Images

On the hills of MLK Jr.’s assassination in 1968, Jackson, along with some of his fellow Morehouse students, became outraged, by not only Dr. King’s assassination, but also with the complacency of life and injustices for minorities in America overall. So they did what they knew how to do at that time and they took action in a MAJOR way, which costs Samuel Jackson his college enrollment.

Why Jackson Held MLK’S Dad Hostage

Martin Luther King. Sr was on the Board of Trustees at Morehouse College during the time Jackson was attending the school. After MLK Jr.’s assassination, Jackson, like many other African Americans during that era, began to become more radicalized in his way of dealing with injustices. So when Jackson and a other Morehouse students determined they needed a better educational curriculum and more minorities on the school’s governing body, they decided to protest. How so? By LOCKING THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES IN A MOREHOUSE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING (MARTIN LUTHER KING, SR. INCLUDED) FOR TWO WHOLE DAYS UNTIL THEY GOT RESULTS. And guess what? It worked.

After the protest, Morehouse actually listened to Samuel Jackson and the other students. The school improved their curriculum and included more African Americans in their governing body. The only problem was that Jackson was suspended from Morehouse for two years for being one of the leaders of that protest and locking the members in the building. He was convicted of unlawful confinement, which is a second degree felony. Some of the other students who were with him didn’t get suspended, nor charged though.

SO HOW DID IT REACH THAT POINT FOR SAMUEL JACKSON?

After Dr. King Jr. was assassinated in 1968, his body was brought to lie in state at Spelman College, predominantly African American all-female college that sits adjacent to Morehouse. Samuel Jackson was actually an usher at Dr. King’s funeral. Shortly after the funeral, Jackson flew to Memphis to join an equal rights protest march and that’s where he says he became more pro-active and radicalized. “I was angry about the assassination, but I wasn’t shocked by it. I knew that change was going to take something different – not sit-ins, not peaceful coexistence,” Jackson stated that in a Parade Magazine interview regarding his reaction to MLK, Jr.’s death. In other words, he got tired of holding hands and simply singing for justice, he wanted more results.

Jackson begin to find ways to fight back for equal rights and soon after that, he not only formed that Morehouse lockdown/protest, he also caught the attention of the FBI (which scared the daylights out of his beloved Mother) after joining forces with others in the Black Power movement like Stokely Carmichael, H. Rap Brown:

“I was in that radical faction,” Jackson told Parade. “We were buying guns, getting ready for armed struggle. ‘All of a sudden,’ he said proudly, ‘I felt I had a voice. I was somebody. I could make a difference. ‘But then one day,’ he added quietly, ‘my mom showed up and put me on a plane to L.A. She said, ‘Do not come back to Atlanta.’ The FBI had been to the house and told her that if I didn’t get out of Atlanta, there was a good possibility I’d be dead within a year. She freaked out.’”

Two years after the Morehouse protest, Jackson was able to return to Morehouse College and re-enroll as a drama major and he graduated in 1972. He said “I decided that theater would now be my politics. It could engage people and affect the way they think. It might even change some minds.”

Now that we know how proactive Samuel Jackson was as a young man, it all makes sense with who we know him to be as a man now. He’s is a refreshing voice in a world of oftentimes fake, re-programmed, politically correct, unrealistic Hollywood actors. Jackson’s not an entertainer who will conform just to make his naysayers comfortable, and we can’t do anything but respect that.

Source

The post Samuel Jackson Held MLK’s Father Hostage In College & The Details Are Wild appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

Rare 8 second video of A.D. King speaking at his brother’s funeral. And he sounds just like MLK. pic.twitter.com/UG0yt5PPWF

— Boss (@_ValTown_) April 5, 2018

Mysterious Details Of A.D. King’s Death

Just 15 months after Dr. King Jr. was assassinated, A.D. King died under suspicious circumstances. A.D. was extremely close to his brother, Martin. Following MLK’s assassination, A.D.’s widow, Naomi King, revealed to Seattle Times, that “He never recovered, because he felt it was his duty to protect his brother.”

On July 20, 1969, A.D.’s daughter, Alveda King, overheard him on the phone at their home, venting about MLK’s murder:

“They killed my brother. I’m gonna find out who did it,” he told someone on the phone, as Alveda stood nearby.

The following day, on July 21, 1969 -just 9 days before his 39th birthday- Rev. A.D. King, an avid swimmer, was found dead at the bottom of their family’s pool.

Family’s Suspicions

In Memphis to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the day my father was assassinated at the Lorraine Motel. Historical. Heartbreaking. Humbling. Landing here as I did with my mother, #CorettaScottKing, and my uncle, A. D. King, 50 years ago. #MLK50Forward #MLK pic.twitter.com/jmNZz4e6IK

— Be A King (@BerniceKing) April 2, 2018

Following his death, King family members had suspicions about how he’d ‘accidentally died…
A.D. King’s daughter, Alveda King:

“Daddy was killed and put in the pool,” said Alveda, who was at work when the body was discovered. “When they pulled the body out, they began to pump his chest, but no water came out. One of the emergency people said he was dead when he hit the water.” Naomi flew back to Atlanta and, after identifying his body in the morgue, came to the same conclusion. -via ST

A.D.’s wife, Naomi King:

“Absolutely, he was murdered,” Naomi King said. “He was an excellent swimmer. There was no water in his lungs. He was in the fetal position. He had a bruised forehead. Rings around his neck. And he was in his underwear. He was murdered.” For his part, Daddy King said publicly that the civil-rights movement killed both of his sons, furthering the family narrative. -via ST

His Overlooked Legacy

A.D. King was a well known pastor in throughout Birmingham, AL, where he fought for civil rights alongside his brother, MLK, and pastored his own church. He was also known among the confines of their family’s popular Ebenezer Church in Atlanta, Ga. In addition to that, he’s endured many of the struggles several other civil rights leaders did during the 1950’s and 60’s, including having his home bombed while he and his family were still in it, becoming a political prisoner, etc.. Yet, A.D. King’s legacy is still overlooked.

The home of the Rev. A.D. King, brother of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in shambles after it was bombed with dynamite in Birmingham, Alabama, on May 12, 1963. #MLK50 pic.twitter.com/qpYQdvdDRT

— #TheResistance (@SocialPowerOne1) April 4, 2018

Dear friend of MLK and civil rights activist/former Atlanta mayor, Andrew Young, was by A.D. King’s side, consoling him as they both watched Dr. King die on that Lorraine Hotel balcony in ‘1968. Young later explained, to Seattle Times, why A.D.’s legacy was tucked away in the shadows of American history:

“A.D. King, if it hadn’t been for Martin and Daddy King [MLK Sr.,their father], would have been a prominent preacher in this city, because he was very good,” said Andrew Young. … “But he was Martin’s baby brother. The younger brother becomes the caricature. Somebody that they pick on.”

A.D.’s wife raised a great question:

“How can you be forgotten if you never been known?” asked Naomi.

Rev. Willie Bolden, good friend of A.D. revealed this:

“His [A.D.] strategy was to support his brother. … He never tried to usurp any of the limelight. Many people didn’t even know Martin Luther King had a brother.”

Rev. A.D. King was more than just the ‘unknown King brother,’ he was a father to his and Naomi’s five children- Alveda, Alfred, Derek, Esther and Vernon; a devoted husband; loyal brother; a pastor; and unsung hero of the civil rights fight.

Read How Dr. King’s and A.D. King’s Mother Was Brutally Murdered Shortly After Their Deaths HERE.

The post Brother Of MLK Suspiciously Died Soon After Dr. King, But Here’s Why Many Never Knew appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

MLK’s Grandbaby’s Speech

The March For Our Lives Rally was sparked by the Valentine’s Day massacre, in which 17 students and staff of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL were brutally murdered by Nikolas Cruz (19). During the rally, Yolanda Renee King bravely stepped onto the stage, hand in hand with Parkland survivor and gun control activist, Jaclyn Corin.

As Yolanda entered the stage, they seemed uncertain of who she was, that was until she proudly introduced herself as the granddaughter of Martin Luther King. Needless to say the crowd got hyped and immediately gave her a thunderous applause. Yolanda kept her speech short, yet very powerful…

“My grandfather had a dream that his four little children will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character,” Yolanda R. King said to the crowd. “I have a dream that enough is enough. And that this should be a gun-free world, period.”

The proud nine year old then proceeded to lead the crowd in a chant, not once, not twice, but three times with confidence and determination that any parent/grandparent would be proud of: “Spread the word! Have you heard? All across the nation, we are going to be a great generation!”

The crowd loved Yolanda’s delivery and so did her family. Yolanda’s aunt, Dr. Bernice A. King, reposted her niece’s speech on social media, as she stood backstage looking on. Her post’s caption read, “Very proud Aunt. My niece, Yolanda Renee King, truly represented the King Family.”

https://www.facebook.com/100010984091479/videos/558228801219918/

FYI: Yolanda Renee King is named after her aunt, Yolanda King, who passed away in 2007 from heart failure.

Another Child Demands Recognition Of Black People At Rally

In addition to Yolanda Renee King’s touching speech, an 11 year old named Naomi Wadler, also gave a moving speech at the March For Our Lives Rally. Naomi was chosen to speak at the rally after organizing a school walkout, at her Alexandria, Virginia school, to protest gun violence, in honor of the murdered students and staff at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, who were mostly White.

Naomi’s rally speech was a demand/wake-up call that the same passion, swift action, and compassion need to be shown to Black victims of gun violence as well. Here’s what Naomi said:

“I am here to acknowledge and represent the African-American girls whose stories don’t make the front page of every national newspaper, whose stories don’t lead on the evening news. I represent the African-American women who are victims of gun violence, who are simply statistics instead of vibrant, beautiful girls full of potential.

We know life isn’t equal for everyone and we know what is right and wrong. We also know that we stand in the shadow of the Capitol, and we know that we have seven short years until we too have the right to vote. … For far too long, these names, these black girls and women, have been just numbers. I’m here to say ‘Never again,’ for those girls too. I’m here to say that everyone should value those girls too… People have said that I am too young to have these thoughts on my own. People have said that I am a tool of some nameless adult. It’s not true.”

I don’t know about y’all, but I have a feeling this will NOT be the last we’ll here from Yolanda Renee King and Naomi Wadler. Looking forward to seeing what the universe has in store for the bright future that lies ahead for these young ladies.

The post Beautiful: Martin Luther King’s Grandbaby Gives Powerful Speech At March For Our Lives Rally appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

The Murder Attempt

On that fateful day in Sept. 1958, Dr. King Jr. was at Blumstein’s Department Store in Harlem, where he was signing autographs for his autobiographical book, “Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story” (a great read by the way). Everything was going smoothly, until Izola Curry walked up to the autograph table. She was wearing cat glasses, a nice dress suit, and holding a large black handbag. Curry calmly walked up to Dr. King and asked “Is this Martin Luther King?”

A then 29 year old King kindly smiled as he continued signing books and stated “Yes.” That’s when Izola pulled a 7-inch steel letter opener out of her purse and stabbed Dr. King, Jr. in his chest, to the surprise of everyone in attendance. Curry didn’t try to run away from the scene and she was soon apprehended by authorities, who discovered that she’d also stashed a Galesi-Brescia .25 caliber pistol in her bra. She stated that she had no plans on using the gun on Dr. King, but rather on anyone who would try to attack her after stabbing him.

MLK Jr. was immediately helped by bystanders on the scene and tended to, while the letter opener remained lodged in his chest. Thankfully some of the onlookers knew not to try to remove the knife from his chest, because he could have died on the spot had they done so.

“No Ill Will”

King was soon rushed to a nearby NY hospital for emergency surgery and 10 days later he spoke from the hospital, to let the world know he had “no ill will” toward Curry for stabbing him. He also was gracious enough to wish Curry the best and hoped that she got the help she desperately needed. Talk about a class act, right?

Why Izola Curry Stabbed King

According to police records, Izola believed Dr. King and the NAACP had been trying to kill her and blocking her from finding employment:

Via TheSmokingGun- NYPD Officer Anthony Buancore, who arrested Curry, recalled that she said of King, “He took away my freedom. He and the NAACP were after me. This has been going on for the last five years. It’s a frameup and I lost job after job because of them.”

Dr. King’s Recollection Of The Stabbing

During Dr. King’s infamous “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech at Mason Temple, which took place just one day before he was assassinated by James Earl Ray on April 4, 1968, he recalled the day Izola Curry stabbed him:

Via TSR: Two months after the stabbing, Curry was diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic by psychiatrists, who revealed to the courts that she had an IQ of 70- “low average intelligence”- and was suffering from a very poor “state of insanity.” Although Curry was indicted for attempted murder, a Manhattan judge determined that she should be committed to the Matteawan State Hospital for the Criminally Insane.

“You know, several years ago, I was in New York City autographing the first book that I had written. And while sitting there autographing books, a demented black woman came up,” King told the Mason Temple audience. “Before I knew it, I had been stabbed by this demented woman. I was rushed to Harlem Hospital. It was a dark Saturday afternoon. That blade had gone through, and the X-rays revealed that the tip of the blade was on the edge of my aorta, the main artery. And once that’s punctured, you drowned in your own blood, that’s the end of you.” King added, “It came out in The New York Times the next morning that if I had merely sneezed, I would have died.”

In conclusion of his recollection of the stabbing and reflection of how his journey for equality would have been cut way too short, had he sneezed, Dr. King closed out with,“I’m so happy that I didn’t sneeze.”

What Happened To Izola Curry’s Life…How She Died At 98

When Curry was first admitted to psych hospitals following her attack on MLK, hospital officials oftentimes noted that she showed zero remorse for trying to kill Dr. King. She was “generally suspicious, seclusive and resentful of correction. She is nasty and abusive at times,” officials stated in one clinical summary. She also talked to herself in her room and was noted as saying “The S.O.B. Rev. King ought to be here.”

As years went on, she became less problematic and more pleasant according to hospital employees. She also began to have zero recollection of the crime she’d committed in her latter years of life:

Vis TSG: Curry remained in the “Family Care” program, apparently residing in at least one other Queens home since Dr. Finger provided an update on her condition. Curry told a TSG reporter she was living in a “Family Care” residence in Queens when she fell and injured her left leg (which prompted her admission to the long-term nursing home).

At the end of a recent visit, a Hillside Manor attendant approached Curry to let her know that lunch would soon be served. When a reporter asked how she liked the food at the home, Curry remarked that she does not eat much, since she watches her weight. When told that was not often a concern for someone pushing 100, Curry offered her visitor a broad smile.

Soon after her interview with TSG, Izola Curry died at the age of 98, much like she’d lived out the last five decades of her life- in a state of obscurity. Ms. Curry passed away with no family, no children, and no loved ones by her side. She took her last breathe on March 7, 2015 at Hillside Manor Nursing Home in Manhattan, NY, not too far from where she’d committed her assassination attempt against Dr. Martin Luther King.

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The post The Woman Who Stabbed & Almost Killed MLK, Died In 2015..See What Happened To Her Life Though appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

Even though MLK Jr. lost his life when his four children were just young kids in 1968, they clearly learned and/or inherited some of his personality traits. In particular, his son, Dexter King (56), has recently displayed his ability to forgive, much like his Pops. Forgive what, you ask? Forgive Newsweek’s highly insensitive tweet of his father in an open casket, presumably in efforts to get link clicks to their article about Dr. King, Jr.

MLK’s Daughter’s Prior Blasting Of Insensitive Newsweek Photo

In case you missed Newsweek’s offensive disaster last week, no worries, because Dr. King’s daughter, Bernice King (54), put them on blast for all the world to see:

MLK Jr’s Son Has A Different Opinion

Fast forward to a few days later and Bernice’s brother, Dexter, has a slightly different take on the senseless tweet by Newsweek- he believes it was an “honest mistake” on Newsweek’s part. Although I’m not quite sure how one ‘mistakenly’ posts an open casket photo and captions it “Have you seen our old friend Martin?,” Dexter has a different outlook. Check out what he said about this in the video clip below…

Like I said, it’s great to see that Dexter inherited his Pops’ ability to forgive. Couldn’t be me though…nah! You disrespect my parent like that, I’m holding that grudge for life!

Bernice King HasChange Of Heart After Newsweek’s Apology

Anywho, Dexter wasn’t the only King offspring to forgive though. After Newsweek issued an apology for their ridiculous tweet, surprisingly Bernice King found it in her heart to forgive them as well.

Newsweek’s apology via Twitter:

“Earlier this afternoon we published an opinion piece with an insensitive image of Martin Luther King Jr. We sincerely apologize to the King family for this egregious error.”

Bernice King’s statement of forgiveness about Newsweek:

“Today I saw where Newsweek published this insensitive image of my father. […] We must never forget that Dr. King was a husband and was a father so we deal all the time just with continuing to manage our father and the great work that he’s done…so it was difficult. […] I want to thank Newsweek for immediately responding and removing the image and for giving an apology. Apology accepted.”

And there it is people, alls well that ends well. Respect to Dexter and Bernice King for finding it in their hearts to forgive…but hopefully, never forget.

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The post MLK’s Son Finally Gives Opinion On Newsweek’s Insensitive MLK Casket Pic, This’ll Surprise U appeared first on I Love Old School Music.