I finally met her couple of years ago when I had been invited along with other media to interview her to commemorate her late husband's birth anniversary. There was total chaos as we sat for over 90 minutes waiting for her to show up. She was running late according to her staff who had organized the television interviews to be done first and then the print media. When she finally did come into our waiting room, we were told she had to run to CNN and finish yet another interview and that she would be back but would do a 10 minute interview instead of the hour that I was promised. I said, ‘in that case I decline to do the interview.” There was a stunned silence as members of the press stood there shocked by my audacity.

Mrs. King however, walked up to me and held my hand lovingly and said.. “Oh please don’t be angry.” I wasn’t but I gently told her the only reason I was declining to do the interview was because 10 minutes would not do justice to her or Dr. King’s legacy and to me as a journalist. She promised that one of her aides would arrange for the interview and I left.

While that interview never happened thanks to her tardy staff, I came away warmed by her sweetness and humility.

Subash Razdan is one of Atlanta’s prominent community leaders and says that he first met Mrs. King in 1986 but a year later developed closer contact and a working relationship. In 1983, the President of the Indian American Cultural Association Dr Yogesh Joshi, entrepreneur Krishna Srinivasa, head of the Indian Forum for Political Education, and Mrs. Coretta Scott King decided to create a Gandhi Room in the MLK Center to honor the man who had inspired Dr King so deeply. The room gathered dust soon after and became a storage space until 1987 when, Subash Razdan and Giriraj Rao, a Coco Cola executive and a staunch Gandhian, worked together to redesign and refurbish it, filling it with Gandhi memorabilia, portraits and exquisite furniture. The theme of the room honored both Gandhi and King, says Razdan and, according to Rao, Coretta Scott King declared that as long as she lives, Gandhi's birth anniversary celebrations would always take place at the King Center.

Recalling the efforts that went into that project Subash says “The first job was to get the room physically...for which we met with Mrs. King and her Board members. Once the room was allocated, then the job was to clean up the room, design it with lights, decor and cabinets, memorablia, etc..

I then got Ambassador P.K. Kaul involved who provided the necessary break to procure the Gandhi memorablia...Gandhi Bust, Charkha, glasses, watch, sandals, etc...

We expanded our own team with the late Dr. Darshan Singh Bhatia, my wife Raj Razdan, Dr. P.V. Rao and a few more. While the memorablia came as donation from the government of India we needed cash to refurbish the room. So, I requested Dr. Pran Sood to help. Dr. Sood's group consisting of Dr. Vanapalli, Dr. R.K. Nair, and a few more all pitched in and gave us around $5000 to start our mission.

Then we started having frequent meetings with Mrs. King to discuss the layout, etc. While I designed the room from the engineering perspective, Mrs. King, Giriraj Rao, and Raj Razdan provided the architectural and aesthetic feedback. We also recruited a professional artist and asked Dr. P.V. Rao to help.

My father (P.N. Razdan) who knew the son of the artist Somnath Khosa, helped ship a life size Gandhi portrait from Delhi. On the day of launching, the room was given finishing touches by Raj Razdan and P.V. Rao. The celebrations that evening were very elaborate and electrifying with a packed house at the Freedom hall auditorium.”

Mrs. King had been very happy when the Gandhi statue had been installed at the MLK Center. In her message Mrs. Coretta Scott King had stated that, "It is gratifying and appropriate that this statue is installed in this historic site because my husband, Martin Luther King, Jr., was deeply and profoundly influenced by the life and teachings of Gandhi. As Martin wrote in his first book, Stride Toward Freedom, "As I delved deeper into the philosophy of Gandhi, my skepticism concerning the power of love gradually diminished, and I came to see for the first time its potency in the arena of social reform...." Her message adds that, "It not only commemorates the life and contributions of one of history's greatest leaders, but also the eternal bond between Gandhi and his foremost American disciple, Martin Luther King, Jr. and the spirit of goodwill between the people of India and the United States."

Subash Razdan says that the things that he would remember about her are her simplicity, her commitment to carrying her husband’s legacy and her love for the Indian community.

“She believed in Gandhi, and his influence on her husband and was genuinely keen to propagate their message. She was firm, yet soft spoken. She wanted to keep good relations with our community, and would wait with our community till the last person left the party. What stands out in my mind is her undiminished faith in her husband, where he was headed and his sacrifices, despite shortcomings in their personal lives.. she had 4 little kids, when he died and yet within a month she pulled herself together and chose the same path that her husband treaded...knowing very well that there were many out there to bring her and her associates down, hook or crook.”

 Countless people, touched by Coretta Scott King’s kindness and inspired by her determination to continue the struggle for a better America, feel a deep sense of pain and loss.”

Frank says she feels blessed to have been able to work with Mrs. King and witness first hand her concern for people and her unwavering commitment to Black-Jewish relations. “As I think about my work with the American Jewish Committee over these past 25 years, I remember fondly her participation in the meetings of the Atlanta Black-Jewish Coalition, Co-Chaired by Congressman John Lewis, and held often at the King Center. I remember the gratitude we felt when Mrs. King joined members of the Coalition in denouncing anti-Semitism and honoring Holocaust memory.

I remember calling her to ask if we could list her name in an ad the American Jewish Committee placed in the New York Times calling on Iraq to stop firing SCUD missiles into Israel. She signed the ad, once again rejecting violence and supporting Israel’s right to live in peace. I remember marching in Selma, Forsyth County and Washington with her. Her strength gave us all strength. Her tireless dedication to the cause of equality inspired generations.

“I remember our hard work and the enormous thrill of success in achieving a National Holiday to celebrate the life and work of Dr. King. My favorite thing in my office is the flag from the first holiday observance. I remember the countless meetings planning King Week activities and her sensitivity to including Jewish participation. Each November I anticipated the call from Dora McDonald, in Mrs. King’s office at the King Center, asking for the name of a rabbi to read from the Scriptures at the Ecumenical Service on the King Holiday.”

Sherry Frank says for her Mrs. King’s life was a journey akin to that of the biblical Miriam who led her people through the parted seas with music and timbrel in hand. “Mrs. King, a gifted musician, also led her people through the troubled waters of our times.”

The onus now falls on the King children to carry forward their mother’s legacy. When asked if they are charismatic or committed enough, Subash Razdan says very candidly, “I think they are charismatic enough, but are they committed. I am not sure. Bernice has drifted towards theology, Yolanda towards Hollywood/glamour, MLK 111 towards politics, and Dexter towards capitalism...so that leaves only MLK 111 to carry on the work of his parents.

If Dexter focuses on community and civil issues, he can deliver, if he stays focused and can sacrifice good things of life to serve his people. I think he can do it and things will work out with passage of time...

I do not know if the children will be able to fit into their father’s shoes. It is a monumental task, because not many can fit into Martin's shoes. To date only three people have deserved the recognition of a national holiday-George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr.”

As rumors of rift within the family about the future of the MLK center float around, let’s hope the work that was started by MLK Jr. and was continued with such commitment and love by Mrs. King carried forward in unison by her children, even if they choose to pursue their own dreams.