Happily Divorced And After

By Rev. Dr. Barbara Reynolds

Not another King dying far too soon. This was the immediate reaction of many at the news that Dexter Scott King, the youngest son of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King had died from prostate cancer at age 62. In 2007 his sister Yolanda died at age 52.

At the time of his death, Dexter had served as both chairman of The King Center and President of the King Estate. In that capacity he engaged in legal intellectual property fights with corporations, federal agencies, and court suits with family members to protect his parents’ legacy. His strongest crusade, however, was his battle to bring to justice those responsible for his father’s murder.

Born in Atlanta on Jan. 30, 1961, he was named after Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, where his father served in his first pastorate and helped launch the famous Montgomery Bus Boycott. He was the second-born son of Dr. King and Mrs. King and was only 7 years old when his father was assassinated in Memphis on April 4, 1968.

For years, Dexter King—who has an amazing resemblance to his globally acclaimed father, confessed that when he “looked in the mirror he saw his father’s face trapped in mine.” In his memoir “Growing Up King,” he spoke of gazing upon the writing on his father’s crypt, “Free At Last,” and feeling that same sense of freedom. Yet he was freed in a different way- not in death – but in the resolution of living his best life on his own terms and not becoming a prisoner of the King name.

As a journalist and later biographer of Coretta Scott King, I was in and out of the King household since the seventies watching their becoming years. As a teenager Dexter used to love talking about one day becoming a businessman and he started his first enterprise, a music company where he hired himself out as a disk jockey for weddings. In later years, his zest for business skills took root at the King Center, where he sometimes took the reins of the King Center with his siblings helping it to become a Beloved world house of peace and non-violence.

Coretta King said all four siblings—Martin III, Yolanda, Dexter, and Bernice had inherited specific qualities from her and their father. Yolanda had a love for the performing arts and became an actress. Martin III, a social justice activist; Bernice, a Call to ministry and pastoral and organizational leadership; and Dexter, a drive to master the complexities of life by pushing forward, overcoming the most difficult problems, even when at the very root he had to overcome himself.

Confronted with the fear of death, instead of running from it, he freed himself by running into it. At age 16, he started working at a funeral home, the same one that buried his father. The experiences in the mortuary he attributed to his quest to come to terms with death and dying. To understand the intricacies of the criminal justice system, in 1982, for a short spell, he became a police officer in Atlanta. His stance to wear a uniform with a sidearm shocked the principled non-violent, anti-gun workers at the King Center. But he was determined to understand the system from the inside out.

Dexter also wanted to test his acting abilities. With his uncanny resemblance to his father, he portrayed him in the 2002 television movie “The Rosa Parks Story.” His love for the creative arts drew him to relocate to California but he also continued his work with the King Center and commitment to the King family legacy,

As deftly as he helped free himself from fear and tradition, he also took responsibility for freeing his family, especially his mother, from digging their graves with their forks.  He became a strict vegetarian, giving up sugars and starches until his body craved natural foods. He said he was bothered that his grandfather, Daddy King, might have lived a longer life had he eaten differently. At her son’s insistence, Coretta, who had mastered the art of rich Southern style cooking, became a vegetarian. Once when I traveled with her to a Florida spa, I was dismayed that for a week, they served nothing but raw vegetables and veggie smoothies. Yet, she also believed her strict regimen eased her pain from gout and other discomforts prolonging her life. She died at the age of 78.

Both mother and son shared an intense determination to prove to the nation that James Earl Ray did not kill Martin Luther King Jr, that his murder was the result of a conspiracy involving the U.S. government and the assassins should be held accountable.

In the early 1990’s I picked Dexter up at the DC airport and took him to the National Press Club where I had helped arrange a briefing on the assassination. He spoke about his plans to meet with Ray and that he believed Ray’s claim of innocence and, based on other evidence, felt along with other family members that Ray was not the lone assassin.

On December 8, 1999, Dexter and Mrs. King, on behalf of the family, pursued a civil suit in Memphis. A jury of six Whites and six Blacks unanimously implicated U.S. government agencies in the wrongful death of Dr. King. The shocking evidence convinced the jury that Dr. King had been the victim of assassination by a conspiracy involving the Memphis Police Department as well as local, state, and federal government agencies, and the Mafia. The Jury also concluded, just as Dexter had argued all along, that Ray was not the shooter, but had been set up as a patsy to take the blame.

This news, where both Dexter and Mrs. King testified, should have rocked the world, but unfortunately it landed like the noise of a feather hitting the ground. The verdict and shocking testimony were virtually ignored by the media – as it is today.

Dexter was often criticized for his insistence on following up on details ignored by the press, but he argued that it was hard for him to believe looking into his father’s murder was somehow illogical.

Yet, even in this failure, Dexter believed as his mother did, that they had both freed themselves of the guilt of not pushing for the truth. So many times, they had heard their father and husband say, “Truth crushed to Earth Shall Rise Again.”

And they left this world believing that one day it would.

The Rev. Dr. Barbara Reynolds is co-author of the memoir, Coretta Scott King: My Life, My Love, My Legacy. 

SAN BERNARDINO, CA – On February 4th, 2024, Omnitrans will join neighboring transit agencies in celebrating Transit Equity Day by providing FREE rides on all fixed-route bus services in San Bernardino County! Transit Equity Day is a collaborative effort of several organizations to promote public transit as a civil right and a strategy to combat climate change. Transit Equity Day is celebrated on February 4th each year in honor of Rosa Parks’ birthday. Parks, a civil rights pioneer in Montgomery, Alabama, is an iconic figure who famously refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white person in December 1955.  Her courageous actions ultimately led to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that segregation on public transit was unconstitutional.

Sacramento Steps Up…

To further honor the legacy of Rosa Parks, SacRT will be installing a “reserved for Rosa Parks” sign to one seat at the front of every bus. This symbolic gesture serves as a reminder of the courage and determination that fueled this fight for transit equity.

“We are proud to celebrate Transit Equity Day by offering free rides and paying tribute to Rosa Parks, whose bravery and commitment to justice continues to inspire us,” said SacRT General Manager/CEO Henry Li. “By providing free access to our transit services, we hope to underscore our dedication to fostering an inclusive and accessible public transit system for all.”

“Public transportation is interwoven in our nation’s pursuit of equity and social justice,” said SacRT Board Chair and Sacramento County Supervisor Patrick Kennedy. “As we reflect on the impacts of the Montgomery Bus Boycotts and the courage and leadership of Rosa Parks, we must acknowledge the important role of public transportation by ensuring equity and accessibility to all of our communities.”

By Tanu Henry and Joe W. Bowers Jr. | California Black Media

On Jan. 16, a day after America celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day, California Attorney General Rob Bonta hosted a conversation with a diverse group of state leaders to commemorate the National Day of Racial Healing.

“The National Day of Racial Healing is typically observed each year in January, and it is intended to be a time to reflect on our shared values – what brings us together and what unites us,” said Bonta.

“It is also an opportunity to discuss the real lasting and present harms of racism in our society,” continued Bonta. “But more importantly, it is about healing. That takes acknowledgement of the pain and harm. It takes accountability, and it takes justice-oriented solutions.”

The panel’s participants were Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly Mitchell; California reparations task force members Don Tamaki and Cheryl Grills; Orange County Human Relations Commission Chair Jo-Anne Matsuba; and Asian American Senior Citizens Service Center Executive Director Jennifer Wang.

Mitchell thanked Bonta for not shying away from difficult conversations on anti-racism initiatives, especially as “we acknowledge the role government has played and will continue to play – unless we stand in the gap – in promoting racially biased policies,” she said.

Mitchell, who served in the State Legislature as an Assemblymember and Senator from 2010 to 2020, is also the founder of the created the Second District Racial Justice Learning Exchange.

Grills and Tamaki shared their experiences serving on the on the California Task Force to Develop Reparations Proposals for African Americans.

“The number of those taking up the cause of reparations is growing, and I believe our efforts in California has contributed to that. While this has been a painful and necessary journey, I appreciate the allies who have stepped up from various racial and ethnic groups, standing up in solidarity, rolling up their sleeves to educate their communities,” said Grills.

Bonta thanked the Department of Justice and its Racial Justice Bureau for the work it does to confront hate that affects all Californians.

“Whether it is tackling the ongoing effects of systemic discrimination and the legacy of slavery or confronting our state and nation’s history of prosecution of Native Americans — the destruction of their homes or confronting the recent rises of pandemic-fueled hate and bias, we all have work to do,” said Bonta. “There’s no single solution, but what I do know is we can solve these challenges together.”

LOS ANGELES, CA– Cynthia Mitchell Heard, President & CEO of the Los Angeles Urban League, (LAUL) and the LAUL Board of Directors, is pleased to announce the appointment of David P. Anderson, MSSE as its new Chief Operating Officer effective immediately.

In this key leadership position, Mr. Anderson will play a pivotal role in LAUL’s strategic direction and operational management. With a background in youth workforce development and public-private partnerships, he brings a wealth of experience that will contribute to LAUL’s continued growth and success.

Commenting on the appointment, Cynthia Mitchell Heard said, “We are delighted that David P. Anderson has joined the Los Angeles Urban League team. His commitment to systemic change is inspiring. He will play an important role in ushering in a new era for the Los Angeles Urban League as we build for tomorrow.” Prior to her appointment to the President and CEO position, Miss Heard was the Chief Operating Officer.

“I am honored to serve as Chief Operating Officer of the Los Angeles Urban League and continue their rich legacy of advocacy and advancement for all people in underserved communities so they may achieve success and fulfillment in their professional and personal lives,” said  David P. Anderson, Chief Operating Officer of LAUL. “Growing up in Los Angeles, I’ve had the honor and privilege to engage with thought leaders of our community from different races, cultures, and religions: this is the diverse identity of Los Angeles. These dynamic and inspiring change makers are with me now and motivate me daily in all that I do.”

David P. Anderson has a proven history of over 20 years in education and philanthropy. He developed a keen understanding of the fundraising and non-profit industries while supporting the advancement of over 100,000 students through afterschool programs in 293 schools across six (6) school districts. Anderson’s prior experience includes serving as President and Chief Executive Officer of LA’s BEST where he oversaw afterschool experiential learning to 197 Los Angeles Unified School District schools.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, David attended Santa Monica College and later transferred to the University of Southern California (USC), where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. He went on to achieve a Master of Science in Social Entrepreneurship degree from the USC Marshall School of Business, where he was awarded Social Entrepreneur of the Year.

“David impressed us with his depth, professionalism and commitment to spreading opportunities to Black and other underserved communities in Los Angeles,” said Elliot Hinds, Chairman of the Los Angeles Urban League. “I think he will be a great fit to propel the LA Urban League forward and to work with our new CEO Cynthia Heard to guide our strategic planning process and its implementation.”

Mr. Anderson’s passion and purpose to create change by raising the trajectory of the community align with the Los Angeles Urban League, a premier civil rights organization, move into its second century of service to the underserved community in Los Angeles.

By Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media

As of Jan. 1, California became the first state in the nation to disaggregate data for its Black population by ethnic lineage. Thanks to a bill authored by Assemblymember Chris Holden (D-Pasadena).

Holden is a member of the California Legilslative Black Caucus.

A California Department of Human Resource (CalHR) questionnaire requests newly or rehired employees to voluntarily self-identify their race, ethnicity and gender for the state to track and evaluate equal employment opportunities and non-discriminatory employment practices more accurately.

“For the first time, the descendants of our ancestors, people in my family and the families of over 2 million Californians, the overwhelming majority of Black California, will see our community represented and counted among the very important data our state collects, starting among current and future state employees,” said Chris Lodgson, a member of Coalition for Just and Equitable (CJEC). 

CJEC is a statewide organization comprised of various associations, community groups, and individuals united by a commitment to fight for reparations and reparative justice for descendants of enslaved Black American men and women.

Applicants now have the option to check boxes under Black or African American that declare them a descendent of persons who were enslaved in the United States, or not a descendant of persons who were enslaved in the United States, including African Black and Caribbean Black. They can also identify by marking “descendant status is unknown” or they can choose not to identify.

Holden introduced Assembly Bill (AB) 1604, the Upward Mobility Act in January 2022. The legislation requires the state to breakdown the data of state employees by ethnic origin.

Furthermore, AB 1604, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in September 2022, provides state workers with greater opportunity to move upward within state service through improvements and best practices in processes for hiring, recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce.

The new disaggregation mandate is designed to help spot irregularities such as disparities in income, health care outcomes, career development and state agencies’ leadership.

Holden had previously pushed legislation to promote mobility for people of color in California’s civil services system and require diversity on state boards and commissions. Newsom vetoed AB 105 in October 2021, the legislative forerunner to AB 1604, which Holden also introduced.

Newsom said in an October 2021 letter that AB 105 had “unintended consequences” and “elements of the bill conflict with existing constitutional requirements, labor agreements, and current data collection efforts.”

When Holden was appointed chair of the Assembly Committee on Appropriations in January 2022 by then-Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood), he reintroduced the legislation as AB 1604.

AB 1604 resembles legislation that requires data from other racial groups. In September 2016, former Gov. Jerry Brown signed AB 1726 into law, requiring the state Department of Public Health to disaggregate data it collects by ethnicity or ancestry for Native Hawaiian, Asian, and Pacific Islander.

The question of identity became front-and-center in state government decision-making when the California Reparations Task Force elected a lineage-based framework to determine eligibility for reparations. The nine-member panel decided that compensation should be limited to descendants of enslaved or free Black people whose ancestors were in the United States by the end of the 19th century.

That narrow 5-4 task force decision overrode a model for determining eligibility that is race-based.

Lodgson said that he believes the lineage-based arrangement will help Black Americans self-identify with their heritage in this country on the heels of Black History Month.

In August 2023, Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) introduced Senate Bill (SB) 490 that would amend Title 2 of the state government code to establish a new state agency called the California American Freedman Affairs Agency (CAAFAA).

That agency would be responsible for managing the reparations process for Black Californians and determining eligibility under the lineage-based structure set up by the state’s reparations task force.

“The first in the nation California Reparations Task Force re-affirmed the intent of the law that created it when it said descendants of persons enslaved in the U.S. would be the community eligible for Reparations,” Lodgson said. “The next step would be to collect information on which Californians are within this community and set up a way for the state to help people show that they’re eligible.”

According to a May 14, 2021, Pew Research Center report, Black and Hispanic adults were more likely than White adults to say their origins are central to their identity and that they feel a strong connection to their family’s cultural roots.

On Jan. 18, 2024, PEW released data that the Black population in the U.S. has grown by 32% since 2000, rising from 36.2 million then to 47.9 million in 2022. In addition, the number of people self-identifying as another race in addition to Black has increased nearly 254% since 2000.

In 2022, there were 5.1 million Black immigrants in the U.S., up from 2.4 million in 2000, according to PEW’s analysis of Census Bureau data. Immigrants accounted for 11% of the Black population in 2022, up from 7% in 2000.

Race-based reparations would have stretched the eligibility pool for reparations to include anyone in California who identifies as Black as opposed to Californians with a direct connection to a person who was enslaved in the United States.

According to the California Department of Finance’s July 2023 report, just over 39 million people reside in California. The Black/African American populations consist of 2,223,654 people (5.64%) in California. With a growing Black immigrant population across the country, Lodgson said that the disaggregated data being collected in California can serve as a model for the rest of the country.

“This historic change is the result of the hard work of Black Americans, all volunteers, who come from outside of politics and yet were able to make something big happen,” Lodgson said. “This is a testament to what each of us can do. Just as important as anything else, as one of my colleagues recently shared, you can’t fix a problem if you don’t see a problem.”