Yolanda King Remembered at Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church

Hundreds gathered in Atlanta to pay their last respects to Yolanda King, the eldest daughter of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. The memorial service was held at the Ebenezer Baptist Church, where her father and grandfather preached.

Yolanda King continued the family legacy of activism and change as an actress, producer, motivational speaker and activist. She and her mother, the late Coretta Scott King, were strongly committed to civil rights for gays and lesbians ...

Unlike Yolanda's sister, the Reverend Bernice King, who is a well-known fundamentalist minister and anti-gay activist. To her left is the anti-gay Bishop Eddie L. Long. Their mega-church, New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, is one of the largest churches in the Atlanta area. At the rear is Dexter Scott King, Bernice and Yolanda's brother. Another brother, Martin Luther King III, was also present.

Among the many high profile mourners were former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young; Rep. John Lewis, (D-Atlanta); the Rev. Al Sharpton, civil rights activist and talk show host; and Juanita Abernathy, widow of the Rev. Ralph Abernathy.

Cicely Tyson, the Academy Award-nominated actress, offered a dramatic reading of a poem urging Yolanda King's family and friends not to grieve. "Do not stand by my grave and weep. For I am not there. I do not sleep. I am the diamonds glinting on snow."

Yolanda King died May 15 in Los Angeles after collapsing. She was only 51 years old.

Video: Yolanda King Remembered [WXIA-TV]
Yolanda King Eulogized at Father's Former Church [Dallas Morn News]

Some Background:

Gay Rights Ally Yolanda King Dies at 51 [R20]
"MLK Would Favor" Gay Rights [R20]
Live Blog: Coretta Scott King Funeral [R20]
Gay-Bashing" at Bermuda Mega-Church [R20]

Comments

[DFS]

I dont believe in such things, but I cant help but think about some sort of Kennedy/King curse. Too many people in both families gone way too soon.

Yolanda was a great American and an ally to many communities. She will be missed

[Why did she die? I didn't know anything was wrong?]

This is the third article I've read and no one is mentioning the cause of death? This is extremely odd. What's up?

[Sandy]

Bless her soul and may she rest in peace, but, to see that bloated bigot Eddie Long and even sadly, Bernice, in that photo makes me want to vomit.

[Joanna]

You know what, I am so sick and tired of individuals putting things on the website that is not professional. So what if you believe the Bishop is a Biggott or if the Beautiful Bernice is anti-gay. Who cares, all I know is that she is a role model to me. Even so, with the help of God and her father, you are now able to work, ride, speak and vote. Get up off the beautiful Bernice and get some love in that hard heart!

[joseph b.a.]

Joanna, perhaps you stumbled across this blog mistake. It's focus is black gay men and news that affects us.

Berniece may have done a lot of good, but, she and Eddie Long have also hurt a very many people. Both of them preach a message of hatred and exclusion. That was not the message of Martin Luther King, Coretta Scott King or even Jesus Christ.

Funny, the people who are always talking about "love" can never show it themselves.