Griffin Speaks

DADDY KING

Some of my most memorable experiences while studying at Morehouse College were the result of getting to know Martin Luther King JR’s father, Martin Luther King Sr., affectionately called “Daddy King”. I admired him from the moment I saw him. He taught me how to love people even if they didn’t love me. Daddy King loved everyone. He told me that he loved his greatest enemy, because that is what God requires of us.

Studying at Morehouse College was one of the greatest experiences of my life. Almost everything that happens afterwards in a Morehouse Man’s life is sure to be anti climatic. This is true in part because of the legendary people that students are exposed to during their matriculation. When I arrived at the school August 29th, 1976, Martin Luther King Jr. had been deceased only eight years. The sadness was still in the air. The grief was still on the faces of his immediate family and friends. Every time that I saw Mrs. King I wanted to cry. You could still feel her loss. She had four children to raise without their father. Fortunately, Daddy King was there to feel some of the void.

Daddy King was a real man. He was such a man that when he came home even the dog knew that a man had come home. He was loud, articulate and sometimes very intimidating. He had a heart of solid gold. My friends know how I love to rub elbows with the great. Boy did I rub elbows with Daddy King. I think I introduced myself every time I met him even though I knew that he knew me well. He would smile each time. I could not help it. How many young black boys would have the opportunity to acquire wisdom from Martin Luther King JR’s father. I was not about to pass up the opportunity.

On one occasion Daddy King traveled to Raleigh, North Carolina where my parents were residing at the time. Martin Luther King III accompanied his grandfather so that he could help him tie his shoes. Martin told me that my parents attended his grandfather’s speech and came forward at the end to introduce themselves as my parents. Martin loves to tell this story. He said that for a moment Daddy King acted as though he did not know whom they were speaking about. He said that my mom reached down in her purse and started rambling to find a picture of me. She grabbed a photo and said, “Here he is!” Here he is!” Fortunately security did not over react! Daddy King assured them that he knew me well and that I was a fine young man. Martin never let me live that one down.

Daddy King a frequent visitor on campus would always tell us to love everyone even those who hated us. This was a hard concept for me to accept until I witnessed his life. Here was a man who had lost a son and wife to unspeakable violence. Mrs. Alberta Williams King, Daddy King’s wife had recently been murdered at Ebenezer Baptist Church while playing Amazing Grace on the organ. How could this man love everyone?

There was a time when Daddy King and I along with other college trustees was held against our will in Gloster Hall, the Administration Building. As student body president I attended the trustee meetings. I eventually served on the Board when a student vacancy occurred.

It appeared that the Trustee meeting would be an ordinary meeting until we heard the chanting outside the window. A group of radical students were protesting outside. We finished our meeting and attempted to exit. The students refused to let us leave until Daddy King made his way to the door and demanded that the students disburse. I was amazed that they spreaded like the Red Sea. Everyone was allowed to leave except me. Daddy King was almost to the street when I yelled out to him. I yelled, “DADDY KING HELP ME.” Daddy King came back to the building and demanded that they allow me to leave. I was forever grateful.

Sometimes it is hard to love your enemies. However I am convinced that it is the correct thing to do. You feel very close to God when you love as he loves. I have experienced great pain and frustration loving people that do not love me. However I keep on loving people.

We are all connected. We are all related. It is amazing to me the atrocities that man commits against his fellow man. The hatred that exists is unbelievable. How can we hate people that God tells us to love?

When you choose to love your enemies you will experience an unbelievable joy. You will be in control. When it doesn’t matter to you that the person you love doesn’t love you then you are free. Daddy King always told us: “It is truly better to love than to be loved.”

This is my fifty-second article. I have been writing for one year. The response to my articles has been wonderful. I love it when You stop me and tell me how much you enjoy reading my articles either online or in the Montgomery-Tuskegee Times. I want my readers to know that: I LOVE YOU!

Greg Griffin is a free lance writer. You can read his previous articles by logging on to his web page at www.greggriffin.com