IN MEMORY OF CORETTA SCOTT KING

Many remark that it's always better to give a hero or heroine their flowers while still the breath to smell them. That would be ideal, but paying homage to an ancestor can never be a bad thing according to any life schedule. In honor of what the first lady of the civil rights movement contributed to my state of mind in particular, read this letter from the Oriana lee archives, written 22 years ago to Dr. King commerating the 3rd King Day Holiday. Were there no Sis. Coretta to support & encourage Dr. Martin, the hints of the movement may have quite possibly stopped with the outrage following Emmitt Till's public viewing. Then where would we be? As we mourn the transition of our great Queen Mother, let us also remember to recognize the dawn of Amerika's Black History Month. We pay our respect to Carter G. Woodson for this blackened month. And though we are Black every day, whether there's a special month set aside or not, at least take the time to remind the youngsters to "do your history!"

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1007 N. 16th Street
Harrisburg, PA 17103

January 13, 1984

Dear Dr. King,

I would like to tell you what has changed since 1968. first i want to Thank You for getting us started. I like the way you tried to settle it camly. Now I will tell you what has changed. My name is Oriana Jackson, I am black and I am a girl. Also, I'm in the fourth grade. The things that have changed were blacks and whites can play together, I play with a lot of white kids. My best white friends name is Diane Schaffer. She is very nice and I sit right beside her in school. Another thing that has changed is that we have freedom, and black can drink from public water fountains. Your dream has been coming true. My family thinks that you're a wonderful man including me especially. I know you'll be proud of me this but, we have now made your birthday a general holiday! Now if the Ku Klux Klan does something wrong they will get arrested. You were a really wonderful man! I love you.

Your friend and fan,
Oriana Jackson

P.S. Mrs. King if you have time will you please try to write one more big letter back.

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