King encourages women
to lead
Coretta Scott King promotes Women's Heritace Month eats filled quickly in the Bloomington/Monroe County Convention Center as nearly 700 people filed in to hear S Coretta Scott King's speech entitled, "The Role of Women in the New Millennium." People squirmed in their seats as they turned to see King enter as time approached for the speech March 28. After a standing ovation, Reverand E.D. Butler, who marched with Martin Luther King, Jr. on Washington, D.C. and in Montgomery, Ala., presented the opening invocation. Mayor John Fernandez welcomed and thanked Mrs. King for taking time to visit Bloomington, and Mary Smith-Forest introduced the woman with countless honors and awards. The audience was on its feet once again as King made her way to the stage. She smiled and thanked Bloomington for the welcome and jumped into her speech. She joked with the men in the audience when she introduced her speech and said she hoped none of them were offended because she was somewhat partial in her views. "I am here to call for a great expanded leadership role for women in shaping the future of America and the world," she said. King continued to talk about the different types of leadership roles women were starting to fill. Pointing out women held key positions in the arts, business, politics, science and education, she encouraged women to continue to fight for their share of the limelight — much like the number of women stars in the 1996 Summer Olympics. Quoting mega-stars songwriter Annie Lennox and singer Aretha Franklin, she said "the sisters are indeed doing it for themselves." The crowd broke into applause and smiles as King continued talking about women as leaders in a variety of areas. She pointed out that not only were women involved in every aspect of struggle throughout history, but many carried movements of their own — from the abolitionist movement through the civil rights movement. "There has been a long line of `sheros' that include Abigail Adams, Sojourner Truth, Ida Wells Barnett, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Eleanor Roosevelt, Mary McCloud Bethune and Rosa Parks, who's courage and moral leadership have challenged the conscience of America," she said. She introduced the idea of the unsung `sheros' who made a difference in the modern day. These women who suffered through generations of oppression so their children would have
by Meredith Bledsoe a better life. Mother Hale in Harlem dedicated her life to help poor and abandoned children, and a Mississippi woman who saved money from her modest wages washing clothes and formed a $150,000 scholarship fund for black students at University of Mississippi. "Usually these women remain unknown. They work and sacrifice and struggle to make a better way for the next generation," she said. "Let us never forget that they are leaders, too." Encouraging women to continue to stniggle for more opportunities and equality, she reminded the audience these unsung `sheros' belonged to everyone's family. And from these unsung 'sheros,' women needed to remember them and thank them for their contributions to the equality struggle.
Usually these women remain unknown. They work and sacrifice and struggle to make a better way for the next generation. Let us never forget that they are leaders, too.
CorettaScott King While women made significant strides, they were still locked out of power in business and government. She said while women made up 53 percent of the population, they held only 60 of 535 seats in Congress, and a little more than 21 percent of all state government jobs. She pressed women to get involved with politics and to support women politicians. When the crowd finally sat after a long standing ovation, several Monroe County school children presented huge bouquets of flowers to King. She hugged them and left for a reception. LI Before her speech, Coretta Scott King listens to the invocation at the Convention Center March 28. Reverand E.D. Butler, who delivered the prayer, marched with Martin Luther King Jr. on Washington and in Montgomery, Ala., during the Civil Rights Movement. Photo by Jensen Walker.
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