Yes, you read the title of this post correctly. Elder Dr. Bernice A. King, the youngest daughter of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King, is trying her best to keep her brothers, Dexter King and Martin Luther King III, from selling their father’s Nobel Peace Prize medal and his personal Bible to a private buyer. Both of these items were his prized possessions.
Wouldn’t they be for you?
It’s not his floss or hair brush, it’s his Bible (road map, tool, accountability source) and his Nobel Peace Prize medal (for sacrificing everything in hopes of a better, more dignified life for all people worldwide).
If you don’t already know the background details about Dexter and Martin suing Bernice, their aunt, Christine King Farris, other family members, loyal friends of their parents, and the King Center (where all three children serve on the board) then read more about the lawsuit and this most recent travesty here
Then share your thoughts.
I wonder what their parents wish they could get them to do and say to stop this madness. I wonder how their parents feel about the legacy they left behind. I wonder what it will take to right these wrongs, set things where they need to be, and build the King legacy where it should be.
Martin Luther King III, is the only child to have offspring, his daughter Yolanda (named after their late sister by the same name). The King legacy will be left to Yolanda and in some ways (if they are willing) her cousins (from great aunt Christine’s side of the family—on the Farris side).
But unless Martin III, Bernice or Dexter have more children (by blood), and more specifically, boys, the King name will end with Yolanda, when everyone else is long gone. Think about that.
I just wonder how what happens today, this year, will impact their parents legacy 10, 15, 20-plus years from now. What will the King name be worth in 50 years?
The King legacy impacts generations yet unborn, worldwide, or so it’s supposed to…
I just wonder.
What about you? What do you think?
~Natasha
Source:
http://saportareport.com/blog/2014/02/bernice-king-my-brothers-want-to-sell-my-fathers-nobel-peace-prize-medal-and-bible/
Copyright 2014. Natasha Foreman Bryant. The Paradigm Life. Some Rights Reserved. theparadigmlife.com
Category Archives: Dr. Martin Luther King
A Focus on Dignity and Non-Violence at Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy
By Natasha L. Foreman, MBA
On April 15th I was honored to lead a Dignity Day session as a HOPE Corp Volunteer through Operation HOPE (HOPE) at the Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy (CSKYWLA) in Atlanta.
What is amazing is how the majority of this class of ninth graders were initially completely turned off to the idea of having to listen to yet another speaker that day as they were just returning to their classroom from an assembly that focused on the theme of 100 days of Non-Violence…so they were shifty and closed off. But about 15 minutes into our conversation some of the girls who had crossed arms were soon raising their hands and answering questions.
I started off by talking about the concept of legacy and that that day we were laying the foundation and road map for them to create and eventually leave behind a strong, dignified legacy. I had them define the term legacy in their own words and then share some of their dreams, goals and aspirations. Then as our conversation deepened I shared with them the history of how HOPE was founded, the services and programs that HOPE offers, and I started to weave a story where life included them and their legacy.
I think helping them share the names of empowered and dignified women they see in their family, community, and elsewhere who had similar or worse lives growing up helped them to see that they too could be those same type of women- that they are these women but in-training and with the potential to do more and help more in the long run because they are being equipped with the tools at a young age; and our adversity isn’t an excuse to let life pass us by or a crutch to coast through life doing and expecting the bare minimum, but a reason and motivation to excel and succeed.
These young ladies were shocked to hear that the civil rights movement as it pertained to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr and Ambassador Andrew Young was sparked, motivated, and pushed along due to their wives Coretta Scott King and Jean Childs Young- two women who endured and overcame adversity and strife. Hearing this information made many of these girls sit up straight in their chairs and listen intently.
When I spoke about not holding grudges, and that forgiving people is not to benefit the person they were forgiving but to help themselves heal, grow, and overcome- some girls shifted in their seats their seats, a few others rolled their eyes in disbelief; but then when I mentioned Oprah Winfrey, Maya Angelou, Iyanla Vandzant and their ability to forgive their abusers and using strife as a launching pad towards success- some of the girls started naming other people like Fantasia and Tyler Perry who was sexually and physically abused and how he also overcame and pushed himself to success.
We discussed the concept of family and that it isn’t just our immediate family we need to be concerned about but our neighborhoods, cities, state, our country, and our global family. Because I know that girls can be equally as cutthroat as boys, I made sure that we had a heart-to-heart chat about trash-talking and “clowning” people and how although initially it can be lighthearted and funny, it can also be crippling and tear apart our “extended” family.
We discussed being relevant not only in this country but globally, and that true wealth (spiritual, financial, etc) can only be maintained long term by leading a dignified life, not by living up to the negative stereotypes that are projected globally about Black females. We discussed self-empowerment and not waiting on the government or specific programs to help us, that we have to help ourselves. That we shouldn’t be waiting for someone else to pick up trash on our sidewalks- we should pick it up ourselves.
We shouldn’t be waiting for someone else to cover the graffiti on our walls and buildings- we should paint over it ourselves; we shouldn’t wait for someone else to beautify our streets and parks with trees and flowers- we should plant them ourselves. I explained that they should be volunteering in their community through church or some other organization taking pride in restoring, building, maintaining, and beautifying their neighborhoods.
We had a pretty good time. We laughed and talked about boys and expectations of being respected by males and all people when you carry yourself with respect and dignity. We discussed the language of money and being financially literate, and how this literacy will empower them. It was refreshing to see that many of them have savings accounts and that two of the students had traveled abroad- one to London and the other to the Bahamas. Two young passport carriers living in an underserved and underrepresented area of Atlanta- doesn’t that give you hope? It gives me hope and encourages me to continue my work in the community, and my work through Operation HOPE.
I hope more men and women find it in their hearts to invest one hour of their time at least once per month to volunteer in a church, in a class room, or in a youth center through Operation HOPE. One person can make a difference!
Copyright 2011. Natasha L. Foreman. All Rights Reserved.
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>Hope for Atlanta
>I was looking at my blog and realized that I never wrote about an extremely important moment in my life that occurred a few weeks ago. I don’t know how it’s possible I didn’t post about this experience, but it’s clear that I did not and I want to extend my apologies for leaving many of you in the dark. Let me share with you my experience….
On April 7, 2010 I attended an historic event that will change the pulse of Atlanta, Georgia hopefully forever! I never got the privilege to experience and participate in the Civil Rights Movement, but this day (and future days to come) I had the pleasure of taking part in the Silver Rights Movement.
April 7th Operation HOPE, led by their Founder, Chairman and CEO, John Hope Bryant, partnered with Atlanta’s historic Ebenezer Baptist Church to publicly announce their plans to erect a new multi-million dollar flagship Operation HOPE Financial Literacy Empowerment Center within the Martin Luther King, Sr. Community Resource Complex on the new Ebenezer church grounds.
On this day I witnessed a Shovel Ceremony where I sat by community leaders, Atlanta residents, and representatives from SunTrust and Wells Fargo/Wachovia (who have eagerly joined this HOPE Center partnership), as we listened to inspirational words from some wonderful people such as Martin Luther King III, Ambassador Andrew Young, Ebenezer’s Senior Pastor Reverend Dr. Raphael Warnock, and FDIC Chairman Sheila Bair.
We also had the pleasure of hearing from CEO of the Financial Services Roundtable, Steve Bartlett; Jim Clifton, CEO of Gallup, Inc., Atlanta’s District 2 Councilmember, Kwanza Hall; Isaac Newton Farris, the Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff of The King Center; C.T. Hill, Corporate Executive VP, SunTrust Banks, Inc., and Candy Moore, Senior VP, Southeast Community Development Manager for Wachovia (Wells Fargo Company).
Of course the day would not be complete without remarks and introductions from John Hope Bryant who energized the speakers and attendees with his passion and desire to see Atlanta and every community struggling to survive, restored to greatness.
The “HOPE Center” will bring Metro Atlanta residents a place to go for one-stop shopping, gaining access to mainstream bank services- helping to remove the “shackles” as check-cashing and payday loan “slaves”, so that they can finally become bank account holders.
The HOPE Center will bring Atlanta the tools needed to gain true financial literacy so that the mistakes of their past are overwritten while empowering them to not make the same mistakes or worse in their future.
Metro Atlanta residents will have hands-on education in economics and financial case management, an understanding and ability to gain wealth through small business ownership and home ownership, and a chance to heal, grow, and embrace a sense of dignity and pride within their neighborhoods and for their surrounding communities.
The HOPE Center will bring Atlanta back to being the highly regarded “Black Wall Street” and live up to the hopes and dreams of the late Martin Luther King, Sr and his son, the late Martin Luther King, Jr. Who wouldn’t be excited at that vision and reality?
Following the speeches at the shovel ceremony, each guest speaker lined up in front of the area where I was seated, and as they placed their construction hard hats on their heads, those of us who also were given hard hats did the same. Then they immediately grabbed their inscribed shovels and dug into the soil… of the future site of the HOPE Center…as the rest of us snapped pictures, applauded, and celebrated.
It was forecasted to rain that day…no rain…not that day. The clouds held back so that we could witness history in the making. So we could witness and take part in a moment in the Silver Rights Movement. I’m so grateful that I was able to be there firsthand!
Thank you for the invitation, the experience I can share with generations, and thank you for the hard hat…I’m looking at it now!
Copyright 2010. Natasha L. Foreman. All Rights Reserved.
>Almost Fell to My Knees Today
>
Wow the power of positive thinking, believing, and absolute surrender is amazing! I have these post-it notes on my laptop and bathroom mirror that declare what exactly God will bless me with this week, in two weeks, and during this month. On my dry erase board in my home office I have written, “God ALWAYS provides!” the amount of money I need this week, and what needs to be taken care of by January 23rd. At the bottom of the board it says, “Believe & Surrender”.
Can I share something absolutely amazing that happened to me today?
I’m going to make this long tear-jerker into something short, sweet, and…well you may still shed a tear…a small one at least….I was on the phone earlier today with a woman who has been not only close to me through relation but also as a mentor, and role model. Without telling her that I needed help, it was as though she read my mind and immediately offered her assistance. Don’t interrupt…I know that’s God’s handy work…let’s stay focused…Now let me shed some light on a few things for you- we were laughing about something completely off-topic and she then mentioned giving me a graduation gift. What did she give me? Two special blessings! One of which is the opportunity to attend a large event celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday- as they honor the contributions of Quincy Jones.
Now it’s not just the fact that I have the opportunity to attend the event that moved me (even though I know several people who are pulling their hair to get tickets to this event)- No…it’s the fact that just a couple of days ago I wrote on one of my post-it notes, “God will open doors for me in my career this month” and in less than two days she has made arrangements for me to be re-introduced to a man I have admired for over 20 years, while also being introduced to other phenomenal leaders and philanthropists who will be in attendance, and who I will have an opportunity to connect with and see how I can best serve within our communities.
It does not stop there; she also made it possible a couple of weeks ago for me to make contact with another great, caring man that I will be having a one-on-one meeting with this week. I hope to volunteer with his organization and meet people along the way who can open more doors that will directly influence my career. Those doors are opening for me people…only a fool wouldn’t walk through them!
As I’m speaking with her on the phone I begin to get choked up knowing that all of this was possible because of God. He had already put things in motion for me, I just needed to believe and surrender. As I continued our talk my lips began to quiver as I tried unsuccessfully to hold back my tears. Soon all I found myself repeating was, “thank you so much”. When our call ended I burst into tears and just kept thanking God for his grace. I almost fell to my knees my body was so weak from this overwhelming sense of joy and thankfulness. I was sobbing and saying to Him, “I never stopped believing…I believe…I surrender…thank you Lord…” and then I called my mom and sister and shared the glorious news!
Don’t ever tell me what God can’t do, because He’s showing out for me right now!
Copyright © 2010 by Natasha L. Foreman. All rights reserved.
*Note: Picture of opening door was retrieved online from
http://www.responsible-law-of-attraction-living.com/images/door-opening.jpg
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