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My Memories of the Funeral of Martin Luther King, Jr.
by Michelle Smith
The years 1965 to 1969 were tumultuous, We arrived early Tuesday morning
exciting and life changing. Foremost among for our final instructions and realized
the life changing events was the assassination people had camped out on the
and funeral of Martin Luther King, Jr. From the Quadrangle overnight and were
shock and sadness of learning of his death the everywhere, including in the trees. We
evening of Thursday, April 4th to his funeral secured the area as instructed but after
five days later on Tuesday, April 9th, life went hours of waiting folks decided they
into overdrive and I sensed things would never wanted to sit in the VIP seats and
be the same. I remember the sadness and tears simply pushed us aside and sat down.
and a fear I hadn't felt before. I remember the It took the Morehouse Police and SCLC
endless line of people snaking around campus to move them just in time for the arrival
from the front gate to Sister's Chapel where of the family and dignitaries. Dr. Mays
King lay in state to walk by his casket for one gave the eulogy and Mahalia Jackson
final glance. I remember the clear plastic cover sang but I remember little else. There
placed over his casket to prevent touching. were more people than I had ever seen
Limousines filled with movie stars, politicians in one place, it was shoulder to
and notables as well as faculty, students and shoulder everywhere, a sea of faces.
everyday citizens came from everywhere to pay Even so, there was quiet reverence, no
their respects. They were young, old and in violence and no fear. My final
between. I saw Harry Belafonte, Sammy Davis memories are of Kings interment at
Jr., Mahalia Jackson, Robert Kennedy, Ossie South View Cemetery, Atlanta' oldest
Davis, Ruby Dee, James Baldwin and Lena Black cemetery chartered in 1866 and
Horne. my ancestral cemetery. Kings parents
I hung out at Canterbury House, the Episcopal were buried there. Again, the crowd
Student Center at Morehouse and Father Scott was enormous as he was laid to rest
asked me to be a student marshal at the public amid mountains of flowers of every
funeral on the Morehouse quadrangle Tuesday hue. After the clergy and family left,
afternoon. Morehouse and Spelman students within minutes the florals were
were to join hands and create a human chain stripped clean by those wanting a
around the VIP seats to secure them until the memento to treasure forever. I am
King family and dignitaries arrived with the grateful I was able to participate and
funeral cortège after the private family funeral will cherish forever my memories of
at Ebenezer Baptist that morning. this historic, once in a lifetime
experience.
