[Ohio-talk] What A Memory

Fri Apr 6 14:17:29 UTC 2018

My memories:  In 1958 my parents purchased an old farm house on a fruit farm
, which was  about 4 achers, lots of grass, trees and fruit.  This was owned
by John Patterson , CEO of National Cash Register.  My Dad profession was in
Construction Trades, as a Floor Covering Mechanic.  He began remodeling our
residence and did a beautiful place for his family.  My Mom told myself and
my 2 brothers that the Dr. almost did not marry them because, Dad had a
blood disease and he would only live to be about 30 years of age.  
Well they loved each other so much they were married.  Dad could make or
build anything.  
He lived 10 years after this time and on April 4 , 1968 my Dad was sent to
his resting place.   As the Limacine was parking at the funeral home the
announcement came across the radio about M.L.K.'s death.  And needless to
say, we all were in shock and this was a double devastating
day for my family.
On a more positive note, my Dad not only entered into Heaven where there was
already a King but he had another King to join him.

I thought you would like to hear my story also.
Love you all: W. M. Sloan

-----Original Message-----
From: Ohio-Talk [mailto:ohio-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Cheryl
Fields via Ohio-Talk
Sent: Wednesday, April 4, 2018 7:27 PM
To: NFB of Ohio Announcement and Discussion List <ohio-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Cheryl Fields <cherylelaine1957 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Ohio-talk] What A Memory

Thank you JW and Barbara.

50 years ago today was the first time I saw my Daddy cry. just like
Barbara, he was  sobbing. Like J.W., the neighbors were wailing and
sobbing too.   I was 11 years old and my entire world changed in that
moment.  I knew about the "Dream and the Dreamer." So, I cried too.
As the grandaughter of a Black Baptist minister, the name of Rev. Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr. was a household name in our house. My
Grandparents had met him and Coretta Scott King on several occasions
and were extremely proud of the relationship.
1968 was such a pivotal year in my life, beginning with the death of
MLK. It was the year that I realized what it ment to be Black in
America. This knowledge was associated with a lot of fear  at first
but, my parents and others helped me to learn how to be proud of being
Black.

Around 1990, I had the honor and pleasure of meeting Mrs. King at John
Carol University. She was a gracious lady and I am forever grateful
for the experience.
I agree with you  both, viewing the country today can look bleak.
Viewing us as individuals looks much better.
Perhaps, this gap will close someday.
We have to continue in the path, with faith, hope and love. CF

On 4/4/18, barbara.pierce9366--- via Ohio-Talk <ohio-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Thank you, JW, for that memory. I was pregnant with my first child that
> night. Bob and I were at the home of a clock maker who was repairing a
clock
> for us when the bulletin of Dr. King's shooting  came across his TV. I
> remember the stab  of shock and pain that stabbed through me. I was pretty
> unbalanced with the pregnancy, and I remember sobbing as we drove home
that
> night, worrying what kind of a world I was bringing a child into. I guess
it
> is a good thing that I could not imagine the depths this nation could sink
> to in the fifty years since that night. I was wondering this morning what
> kind of a world we would have if Dr. King had not been killed. We have no
> choice but to keep the faith and try to live the nonviolent lives he
called
> us to.
>
> Barbara
> Barbara Pierce
> President Emerita
> National Federation of the Blind of Ohio
> Barbara.pierce9366 at gmail.com
> 440-774-8077
> The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
> characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
> expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
> between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;
> blindness is not what holds you back.
>
>> On Apr 4, 2018, at 12:35 PM, Smith, JW via Ohio-Talk
>> <ohio-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>
>> Fifty years ago today, I sat in my grandparents' bedroom watching the
only
>> television in the house with my family. It was a small set and we were
>> watching an episode of the show Bewitched. I do not remember the episode,
>> but I do remember that about halfway through the show, an announcer broke
>> in and said, "I am sorry to have to tell you that Dr. Martin Luther King
>> Jr. was shot in Memphis, Tennessee tonight." I remember as a
nine-year-old
>> child hearing the audible gasps of the adults, and then about 15 minutes
>> later, another announcer said, "Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. died tonight".
>>
>> I was raised on the south side of Chicago in a very eclectic and diverse
>> neighborhood and the houses were very close together. In fact, in some
>> cases, you could almost reach out of the window of one house and touch
>> your neighbor's house. It was a warm evening and most windows were
opened,
>> including ours, and I shall never forget the cries and the moans of my
>> neighbors after the announcement of Dr. King's assassination. Most of the
>> neighborhood gathered in the street, held hands, and comforted each
other.
>> There was such anguish and sadness that you could have cut with a knife.
>> The next day, we were dismissed from school because of all of the
violence
>> in Chicago and we were told to kneel on the seats of our school buses in
>> an attempt to avoid the random and rampant shooting that was occurring. I
>> remember the National Guard in my neighborhood with machine guns set up
on
>> the corners of our streets. I shall never forget these memories and I
>> shall never forget Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. because of his voice,
>> vision, and his commitment to his cause.
>>
>> Some will argue that we have yet to reach the Promised Land that he spoke
>> about in his prophetic speech the night before his assassination, and
>> still others would argue that his dream never came true, but as I sit
here
>> in my office at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio a blind and black boy
from
>> the south side of Chicago, I firmly believe that Dr. King would be proud
>> of just how far we have come in many ways. Keep in mind, that during his
>> lifetime, he had to endure separate but equal status of Americans, whites
>> only swimming pools, park benches, bathrooms, water fountains, and even
>> lunch counters. If a black person was walking down the sidewalk and a
>> white person was approaching them, it was expected that the black person
>> would step off of the sidewalk and let the white person pass, even if the
>> streets were muddy and filled with puddles. I choose today to keep
>> dreaming and to keep marching toward that Promised Land that Dr. King
both
>> saw and made reality.
>>
>> jw
>>
>> Dr. jw Smith
>> School of Communication Studies
>> Scripps College of Communication
>> Ohio University
>> Schoonover Center, Rm. 401
>> Athens, OH 45701
>> smithj at ohio.edu<mailto:smithj at ohio.edu>
>> T: 740-593-4838
>>
>> If you see someone today without a smile, why don't you give them one of
>> yours?
>>
>> My Bio<http://www.ohiocommstudies.com/people/smith/>
>>
>> Check out some of my music here<https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/jwsmith22>
>>
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>
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-- 
Wishing You All the Best,

Cheryl E. Fields

A man has made at least a start on discovering the meaning of human
life when he plants shade trees under which he knows full well he will
never sit.
--D. Elton Trueblood

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