My Conversation with Dr. King's Sister, Christine King Farris

In an exlcusive interview airing on the King holiday this Monday, I spoke with Dr. King's only living sibling, Christine King Farris. Among the topics we discussed was how she deals with her brother's lasting legacy as we approach 40 years since his tragic death.

The full interview airs Monday night.

Comments

[necromancer]

Mr King was undoubtedly a brave & courageous man & needs to revered the world over, a great man who had a DREAM, that all American were equall & slowly things are changing for the better.
As an outsider reading coments from various readers, I find the terms like "African American" or other such verbage objectionable. What is wrong with just being proud of being a BLACK AMERICAN, some thing wrong with being 'black', I think not. The think black people need to get past this label, because that is all it is.
Oh! well, that is my honest oppinion & no disrespect intended.

[brooklyncitizen]

"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable"
MLK

[MrSifter]

As is the tradition on MLK day, we will hear politicians invoke his name in honor of his contribution to our nation. All of these politicians now decry segregation and support the civil rights act. Hence, many of them completely miss the significance of Martin Luther King. Martin Luther King was about standing up for the opressed, not when it is easy to do so, but when it is hard. Its pretty easy now to celebrate the end of segregation, only a tiny sliver of the population would support going back to the days of Jim Crow. MLK was much more then just an advocate for equality among the races. He advocated religious tolerance, protested against the Vietnam war, advocated for civil liberties, human rights, and thought America"s next great challenge was fighting poverty.

Today, we will hear the likes of Senator McCain invoke the name of MLK, he who says he wont vote someone of a different religion, who zealously supports the Iraq war, who would rather keep the health care profit system in place then cover everybody, and who voted against the creation of MLK day, because he didn"t understand the importance of MLK at the time, kind of like he doesn"t understand economics now.

Please read the rest of this blog post at http://www.standingbeforethefire.com

[kellygrrrl]

I find it sad that all these great icons of Civil Rights with their great philosophies were so obviously flawed on a personal level. King, Kennedy, Clinton - rightfully - are held up as great men, great leaders, but every person in the world knows they were unfaithful in their marriages.

it's indicative of so much of what is happening in our country. People might love their gay brother or black neighbor, but still hold a fundamental HATE philosophically. SAD

[KarenZipdrive]

I was just a kid when Dr. King was raising the consciousness of the American people. I knew he was something special by the degree he upset my white, blue-eyed, racist Republican father.
Dad was wrong to dismiss Dr. King.
My Hispanic mother taught me that Dr. King was an honorable man, simply sticking up for his people.
Mom was right to embrace Dr. King.

I join the millions who honor his memory today.
Rest in peace, sir.

[jlh1rrisr]

HTTP://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=VUBO4E77ZXO
Clearly there is a lack of clarity, knowledge, wisdom, and understanding allowing others to provide a dualistic ideology of self causing you to believe something that is not. To raise your child[ren] where black females' obvious desire is to emulate white women and males coveting a jailhouse slave mentality believing this is a way of life. However, there are issues far more important such as, the First Commandment with a Promise seen and felt daily which most Blacks believing to be some so-called African-Americans reject and does not historically exist. From the Garden of Eden to America today here is one area that the enemy continues to effectively infiltrate and systematically destroy. Depression and anxiety, separatism and hostility with children dying at an alarming rate and earlier than his/her parents all fostered based on an ill-conceived notion supported by a socioeconomic system caring nothing for the family or family values. Which continues to promote in every lifestyle inclusive of a demonic educational system, a greed based bias corporate structure, an inept judiciary, an ill-equipped clergy, political and social leaders sending false and misleading messages to the populace. While rejecting the reality, the very notion of God and in so doing have destroyed homes and families for the sake of personal gratification glorifying the enemy, Satan. It is a sad state of affairs when a country, any country is racially segregated based on a bias cultural identity causing even further segregation and a bias sexism having an even deeper impact and destructive tendency destroying family and family values. A few cultural anthropologist or sociologist and black opportunist would attempt to get you and your children to believe otherwise attempting to re-write history to appease a portion of humankind while rejecting truth claiming all in the name of humanity. Is America reaping what has been sown because of the destruction of family, family values and a wholesome Godly environment? -- John L Harris, Sr. author of the Decimation of America by its own hand! ISBN 0-9761112-8-4

[Erdgeist]

I just came across an interesting fact (and yes, it is a fact). Special Forces Lt. Col. Daniel Marvin was asked to assassinate MLK. He was in the military at the time. Before this he was asked to terminate the Crowned Prince of Cambodia to make it look like the Viet Cong assassinated him. He refused to carry out both missions. If you, dear reader, in your hear of hearts believe that this country has changed its stripes, forget it. They even more audacious as the consuming herd grows increasingly credulous. Think about 9/11 today. MLK would want it this way.

[rubicon101]

Dear Mrs Farris,
I along with millions of americans take solace in your brothers memory.
God bless you and your family in this day of recognition for Dr Martin Luther King.

[Orikinla]

Please, let MLK rest in peace.

God bless you all.

[NyPrincess]

Thanks for this interview Tavis! I will definitely tune in to see it in its entirety.

[bacaangel]

The Clintons have intentionally distorted Barack Obama's record on a number of issues. People are tired of politicians who lie and distort their opponent's records to gain the edge. Our politicians should be held to a higher standard. We should have politicians who are honest and above tactics which make them look irresponsible and dishonest and one of low-moral character. After all we teach our children to be honest and not to lie. In otherwords how can you trust candidates to be honest with you when they are not honest on the campaign trail. Politicians who lie and distort are not honorable people, not the kind of people we want to run or represent our country. I can only hope that Barack Obama will not stoop down to their level while trying to set his record straight, which he must, against the lies and distortion their campaign are trying to spill. These tactics are old time party politics and should be a thing of the past as we move towards the 21st Century, towards cleaner air, cleaner water, cleaner politics, towards a more holistic way of living. It is a greater duty and in the best interest of the country for Barack Obama to continue to stay positive and hopeful while attempting to bring this country together and lift it up from fear an a distrust of one another -- to continue to show the American people and the world there is another way to run for office other than smear and fear. That is why Obama and Huckabee are so appealing. They are authentic and each in their own way are trying to lead the Americans away from dirty campaigning, lies and distortion. How can a country be blessed after all that ugly and dirty fighting, it can't be.

[independentrepublicrat]

Tavis, your contributions and accomplishments are noticed and appreciated. Today's holiday is usually the saddest of the year for me because I can only imagine how much farther along and how much better off the country would be if the trajectory of the world had not been changed in the worst possible way on April 4th forty years ago. I weep for us all every year, I just can't help myself.

[ferdkjones]

In June 1964 I and a black Naval Academy graduate became the first two Second Lieutenants to integrate the USMC"s Bachelor Officer Quarters for "The Basic School" at Quantico, Virginia. In January 1965 while undergoing Naval Flight Training, I sent MLK a postcard wishing him a happy birthday. In late winter or early spring in 1966, I was ordered to report for questioning at NAS Pensacola Florida. I was berated for a week for being "a n**** loving communist." I am not, and I never have been, a communist.
Go Obama.

[bryand1]

I think it's sad that the media and the Obama camp have so distorted Hilary's comments. They continue to behave as if they didn't actually listen to what she said or the context. The Obama camp are the ones right now bringing this situation down.

[lovethesinner]

Thanks Tavis, it's great to see you here at the Huffington Post and on PBS. Recent events have made me look at the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in a deeper way. Perhaps because I was so young in King's time, I only saw the poetry in his words, not the full meaning.

I didn't understand that the dream really is just as important as the realization.

Your work on the Covenant With Black America and your wonderful interviews with rarely seen but important guests go a long way to carry the message of peace and justice. Please keep it up, and keep the faith.

[coyne]

william f pepper told us exactly what happened to dr king. he laid it all out for us. we can't deal with truth in this country.

[DHeil]

I think Dr. King, were he alive today, would be so very proud of those in our society who judge our elected officials by their character and not the pigment in their skin. He would be proud of Senator Obama and the "high road" campaign he has run.

He would have been so very proud of the Clintons of the 90s and how they advanced the cause of African Americans and all minorities. More recently, he would speak out against the underhanded bigotry of Clintons in 2008 however. He would call each of us to set aside Rovian politics and compete on the issues of leadership and character - something that is so lacking from the Clinton and Edwards' campaigns.

Each time we practice Rovian politics or reward those who practice it, we denigrate Dr. King's legacy.