By Charles Roberts

“I am a practical idealist. I always feel there is hope; I refuse to be cynical,” said Coretta Scott King in her speech late last month in the Performing Arts Center.

“I encouraged all my students to attend this evening (with Coretta Scott King). This is a peacemaker of epic proportion. This is someone whose husband single- handedly changed the world,” said a Buffalo State College art teacher who asked not to be identified.

King, the widowed wife of Martin Luther King Jr., gave a powerful speech with her views on women’s rights, racism, violence and war; many of the same things her husband preached about.

King sat off to the side, while being formally introduced, as the crowd waited eagerly. After the introductions, King made her way to the podium and with the simple words “Good evening everybody,” the audience bounced to its feet in applause. Standing poised, King smiled as the crowd sat down.

“I am often identified as the widow of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,” King said. “However I am a complex, three-dimensional, flesh- and- blood human being.”

King seemed ready to let everyone understand that she has her own views, as well as her shared views with her husband.

“I go to concerts, plays and movies. I even like opera. And, oh yeah, I have a dream or two of my own,” King added, as the crowd again came to its feet and erupted in applause.

King encouraged the crowd to take time in life to understand everybody, since some people are more complex than others.

“Two or three words often identify us, yet we are all so much more than that,” said King.

The audience sat quiet while King spoke, but with the end to almost every encouraging statement, the crowd roared.

“I cannot believe I am sitting in the same room as such a legendary peacemaker,” said 21 year-old Saundra Walczak, “I mean this is a woman who has conversed about world peace with the Pope.”

King reminded us to never forget Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., or her dreams. She reminded us, without her late husband, we would never have the interracial society we have today.

“Every time you see a class with students of different races, that’s Martin’s legacy,” King proclaimed.

King travels the world spreading her family’s word of peace. To find out service projects in an area you can visit THEKINGCENTER.ORG or by calling 1-866-48D-REAM.