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Omaha Steve

(99,660 posts)
Thu Feb 6, 2014, 08:55 PM Feb 2014

Martin Luther King's children battling over estate

Source: AP-Excite

By KATE BRUMBACK

ATLANTA (AP) - A generation after the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s death, his children are fighting among themselves again, this time over two of their father's most cherished possessions: his 1964 Nobel Peace Prize medal and the Bible he carried.

The civil rights leader's daughter Bernice King has both items, and her brothers, Dexter King and Martin Luther King III, asked a judge last week to order her to turn them over. She said her brothers want to sell them.

In a blistering statement this week, Bernice said their father "MUST be turning in his grave" over the idea. She said that while she loves her brothers dearly, she was "appalled and utterly ashamed" of the plan, and added: "It reveals a desperation beyond comprehension."

Then on Thursday, at a news conference from the pulpit of the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church where her father and grandfather preached, she portrayed herself as the true protector of King's legacy.

FULL story at link.



Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20140206/DABQ1AKO0.html





Bernice King speaks during a news conference at historic Ebenezer Baptist Church where her father Martin Luther King Jr. preached, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014, in Atlanta. King is in a legal battle with her brothers over her father's Bible and Nobel Peace Prize medal. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

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Martin Luther King's children battling over estate (Original Post) Omaha Steve Feb 2014 OP
Very sad. elleng Feb 2014 #1
be nice to place those items with the statue in DC forever Sunlei Feb 2014 #2
Sad. 840high Feb 2014 #3
I was expecting to see Alveda King mentioned. Archae Feb 2014 #4
Ug. This is just awful. SunSeeker Feb 2014 #5
The NPR station here in Atlanta covered this yesterday.... sounds like legally Bernice is wrong groundloop Feb 2014 #6
Wow. They already made $32 million by selling off his stuff in 2006. That's not enough for them? Nye Bevan Feb 2014 #7
Be interesting to see How they Blew the $32 Million warrant46 Feb 2014 #8

SunSeeker

(51,574 posts)
5. Ug. This is just awful.
Fri Feb 7, 2014, 08:20 AM
Feb 2014

Can't they spend their time fighting for racial justice and workers' rights like their father did, instead of bickering over objects?

groundloop

(11,519 posts)
6. The NPR station here in Atlanta covered this yesterday.... sounds like legally Bernice is wrong
Fri Feb 7, 2014, 09:00 AM
Feb 2014

They said that Bernice, along with all other heirs, signed their rights concerning these items over to the estate some time ago. Therefore with a vote of 2 - 1 the brothers can legally do as they please as far as selling these items, with the proceeds being split amongst the 3 remaining siblings.

This is very very sad, I'd think they'd want those items on display at the King Center or a museum.

Nye Bevan

(25,406 posts)
7. Wow. They already made $32 million by selling off his stuff in 2006. That's not enough for them?
Fri Feb 7, 2014, 09:19 AM
Feb 2014

They have to sell his actual Nobel Peace Prize medal too?

Pure greed. Very sad.

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