Filed under: News, Politics, Race and Civil Rights
Maybe Bernice King finally saw that the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, founded by her father Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. more than 50 years ago, had truly outlived its usefulness.
Or perhaps she found the cast of characters surrounding the SCLC a bit lacking in their ability to help her breathe new life into the civil rights group.
Related Articles
Either way, King came to her senses and announced that she would not take over the leadership of the SCLC, even though she promised to run the group after being elected
to the post two years ago.
Part of me can't blame King for her decision.
For years, the Atlanta-based civil rights group has been making more news for its embarrassing internal legal squabbling than for advancing the rights of black people.
But even if all the SCLC leaders were on the same page, it's hard to see where the group could offer any help in advancing the complex civil rights agenda of black America.
Add to the mix that the SCLC finances are in shambles.
Talk about mission impossible?
It's surprising it took this look for the light bulb to go on in King's head that rescuing the SCLC was not in the cards.
The NAACP, a far larger and better-funded civil rights group, has trouble remaining relevant with everyday black folks these days with the ever-changing priorities of black America.
So was it ever realistic to expect the SCLC to successfully tackle this task?
The problem with King's decision is that it comes after she spent nearly two years raising the hopes of the few SCLC supporters that she could revitalize the moribund organization.
Just this August, King led a prayer rally to bring an end to the wrangling within the SCLC.
For those misguided yet true believers in the future of the SCLC, it is a shame that Bernice King deserted them.
http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,localizationConfig,entry&id=868400&pid=868399&uts=1295537321
http://www.aolcdn.com/ke/media_gallery/v1/ke_media_gallery_wrapper.swf
Your Hottest News Stories
07-Jan-11 - After years of being accused of not telling the entire truth in the
Notorious B.I.G.'s murder, a task force of various local and federal law enforcement officials have now told
CNN that they are actively pursuing leads in the 13-year-old homicide.
Click Here for the Complete Story
Chi Modu, diverseimages / Getty Images
Getty Images North America
Your Hottest News Stories
07-Jan-11 - After years of being accused of not telling the entire truth in the Notorious B.I.G.'s murder, a task force of various local and federal law enforcement officials have now told CNN that they are actively pursuing leads in the 13-year-old homicide.
Click Here for the Complete Story
Your Hottest News Stories
06-Jan-11 - Robert Butler Jr. was found dead in his red Honda blocks from his new school with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, after walking into the principal's office and shooting both the principal and vice principal.
Click Here for the Complete Story
Your Hottest News Stories
06-Jan-11 - TMZ reports that Tiny (aka Tameka Cottle) confirmed that when she visited her hubby at an Arkansas federal corrections center, she took matters into her own hands when they were left alone in a room.
Click Here for the Complete Story
Your Hottest News Stories
05-Jan-11 - Ted Williams, a homeless man from Ohio with a "Golden voice," has a true rags to riches story.
Click Here for the Complete Story
Your Hottest News Stories
04-Jan-11 - Heroic Media, an Austin-based pro-life organization, is saturating billboards from Jacksonville, Fla., to Austin, Texas, with an insulting message that blatantly labels black women menaces to society.
Click Here for the Complete Story
Your Hottest News Stories
29-Dec-10 - Nicole Mitchell Murphy, ex-wife of legendary comedian Eddie Murphy, is nearly flat broke and on the verge of losing the mansion awarded to her in her divorce settlement.
Click Here for the Complete Story
Your Hottest News Stories
Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments