Mrs. Martin Luther King, Widow of the Slain Civil Rights Leader

Mrs. Coretta Scott King (1927–2006), the widow of the Reverend Martin Luther King, walks by the American flag-draped casket of Robert F. Kennedy, as he lies in state at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, NYC on June 8, 1968. Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated on June 5, 1968, only 2 months after Rev. King’s assassination. Robert F. Kennedy had attended the funeral of Rev. King and mourned with Mrs. King. Now, Mrs. King, with downcast eyes, solemn and composed as she passes Kennedy’s bier, appears to contemplate the tragic loss of these two men whose lives were devoted to the struggle for human equality and an end to bitter racial tensions.

This photograph, as a contemporaneous record of the struggle for human equality, connects us to a time fifty years ago which is still relevant today. It speaks of grace in a time of deep sorrow and perseverance in the face of immense opposition.