Ms. Naomi King to participate in IIPT World Symposium

Naomi King, the widow of Rev. A. D. King, the only brother of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., will travel to South Africa to participate in the International Institute for Peace Through Tourism (IIPT) World Symposium: Cultivating Sustainable and Peaceful Communities and Nations through Tourism, Culture and Sport.

The event is being held in Ekurhuleni, South Africa, (adjacent to O.R. Tambo Johannesburg International airport) February 16-19, 2015. Ms. King will be a guest speaker and will accept a special IIPT plaque on behalf of the King family as the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. is honored.

Ms. Naomi King is co-founder of the A. D. King Foundation that she established in honor of her husband who stood solidly with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the Civil Rights movement and supported his belief in equality and non-violence. The Foundation’s motto strikes at the very heart of the Symposium theme:

“A threat to justice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” and building a beloved community is a glorious task that must be done.

Ms. King has continued promoting the mission of non-violence and world peace of the two King brothers, and has been traveling to different countries and cities promoting non-violence conflict resolution initiatives and her new book, “A. D. and M. L. King: Two Brothers Who Dared to Dream.”

One of the few remaining icons of the Civil Rights movement, Ms. King gives a firsthand account about the highs and lows of life as a member of the King family. In her book, she writes about how the brothers were committed to the same dream, same struggle, and same mission. She brings to light, perhaps for the first time, how Dr. King relied heavily on her for unconditional support, encouragement, advice, and organizational skills during the Civil Rights movement.

During her travels, Ms. King has continued to receive royal treatment as a member of the King family and as a Civil Rights icon in all the places that she has visited. At the invitation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, Ms. King participated a Commonwealth Celebration honoring the dead of World War I and World War II and was among the selected dignitaries who laid a wreath along with HRH Prince Charles and other members of the Royal Family.

Ms. King supported her husband during the Civil Rights movement and was very active as First Lady in the churches that he pastored. The mother of five children, she was known as an anchor while her husband “risked his life to fight for the freedom of the oppressed.” She sponsored, spoke at, and sang for various events to raise money for the Civil Rights movement and continues to speak out and support important societal issues today.

Ms. Naomi King holds awards and special recognition from such organizations as the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), NAACP, Priests for Life, and the American Bridge Association. She is the recipient of the Rosa Park Award, King for America Truth Finder Award, and SCLC Women Award.

A woman of grace and distinction, Ms. King is known as a butterfly queen because like the butterfly, she brings natural beauty and joy to everyone she meets. Despite living through the turmoil in the quest for Civil Rights that including the bombing of her house and church, along with all of the threats that she and her husband received, Ms. King has remained a woman of great faith. She describes herself as a woman who just loves people. She says, “In my head, heart, and eyes, love has no color.” She believes that it is time to embrace our diversity by moving from division to unity, doubt to hope, and from hate to love.

Ms. King will be accompanied by Dr. Babs Onabanjo, CEO of the A. D. King Foundation, during her visit to South Africa for the IIPT Symposium.