#RolandMartinUnfiltered Presents: “April 4, 1968”

Coretta Scott King demonstrated extraordinary composure and strength in the immediate aftermath of her husband's assassination. She prioritized informing her children and preparing for the public role she had to assume, delaying her personal grief. Her close associate recounts how Coretta couldn't bring herself to explicitly tell her younger sons that their father was dead, only that he was 'seriously hurt' and 'not coming home,' while her older daughter, Yolanda, embraced her, both vowing not to cry and to 'pull this thing together.'

Bernice King describes her mother's efforts to 'hold it all together' and 'go into mommy role' and 'carrying the legacy role' (08:21). A close associate details Coretta's difficulty in telling her children about their father's death, stating she 'couldn't bring herself to say' he was gone (50:17, 51:28).

Many of Dr. King's closest colleagues and civil rights leaders immediately shifted into a 'work mode' after his death, deferring their personal grief to manage the crisis, prevent further violence, and ensure the movement's continuity. This collective response highlights the immense pressure and responsibility they felt to honor King's legacy by continuing the struggle for justice.

Jim Lawson and others 'did not grieve until July' or later, instead going 'back to work' immediately (26:00, 39:05). One staffer recalls their job was to 'make sure that nobody else was injured' and to 'reconvene a meeting... to talk about where do we go from here' (01:18:22).

In contrast to the numerous generic condolences received by Coretta Scott King, Robert Kennedy offered concrete, practical assistance. Having experienced the assassination of his own brother, he understood the immediate logistical needs and dispatched a team to install additional phone lines, arrange a private plane for travel to Memphis, and help manage the overwhelming influx of support and communication.

A close associate recounts Robert Kennedy's call to Coretta Scott King, where he stated, 'It's obvious Mrs. King that you need more telephone lines' and arranged for nine lines to be installed by 12:30 AM. He also dispatched a plane to Atlanta for her to travel to Memphis and offered his team to help 'govern things' (53:40).

Dr. King frequently spoke about the possibility of his own assassination, particularly after John F. Kennedy's death in 1963. This awareness allowed him to prepare himself mentally for death, which some believe brought him a sense of peace in his final moments. His death was part of a broader 'decade of assassinations' (JFK, Malcolm X, MLK, RFK, Medgar Evers), which profoundly impacted the national psyche and revealed a disturbing trend of violence against political figures.

A speaker notes, 'Martin King always talked about the fact that he would be shot down in the streets of the nation' (37:52). Another speaker reflects on being in the 'decade of assassinations' where 'when people disagreed with you, they would kill you,' listing five major figures killed within five years (01:12:28).

Clarence Jones, MLK's lawyer and friend, firmly believed that James Earl Ray did not act alone, asserting that King's assassination was a 'cold, calculated, premeditated conspiracy.' He conveyed this belief to former FBI Director James Comey, who, while not confirming, notably did not deny that the case remained open in the FBI's view. This highlights the enduring skepticism and unresolved questions surrounding the official narrative of King's death.

Clarence Jones states, 'James Ray pulled the trigger... But James Oay did not wake up... all by himself and say, 'Today is the day I'm going to kill that king nigger.' No, no, no, no, no, no. Martin Luther King Jr's assassination was a result of a cold, calculated, premeditated conspiracy to kill him.' He recounts Comey's response: 'You didn't hear me say the case was closed, did you?' (01:38:30, 01:40:02).

The immediate aftermath of the assassination included the grim reality of Dr. King's physical state. His body was severely disfigured, particularly his jaw, requiring close friends to take extraordinary measures to make him presentable for viewing. This intimate act of care underscores the deep personal bond and respect held for King, even in death.

A close associate describes seeing MLK's body: 'He looked awful. It looked as if someone had gone and just dug up a big glob of clay and slapped it upside his face.' She then recounts mixing powders from Mama King and Harry Belafonte's wife to 'match the other side of his face' and dabbing it on three times before the funeral (01:07:51).