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MLK CONFESSED TO WIFE (book: told hospitalized Coretta about extramarital affair)
NY POST ^ | January 2, 2006 | LEONARD GREENE

Posted on 01/02/2006 3:28:43 AM PST by Liz

Depressed over the civil-rights movement's direction and burdened by premonitions of his own murder, King told his wife of a mistress in 1968 as Coretta Scott King recovered from surgery for a tumor.

"He disclosed to her the one mistress who meant most to him since 1963," writes author Taylor Branch, "a married alumna of Fisk [University], of dignified bearing like Coretta, but different." In his new book, "At Canaan's Edge: America in the King Years, 1965-1968,"

Branch said the affair had the intensity of a second marriage. Confidante Ralph David Abernathy's wife, Juanita, was furious that "King had picked Coretta's most vulnerable moment" to "ambush her sanctuary of willful, silent discretion."

The supposed confession is one of several details from King's life excerpted in this week's Time magazine.

In one exchange with subordinates, King browbeats staffers of his Southern Christian Leadership Conference who disagreed with his decision to back a Memphis sanitation strike — a campaign that would ultimately get him killed.

He saved his most scathing remarks for Jesse Jackson, the man who most prominently took up his mantle. "If you want to carve out your own niche in society, go ahead," King screamed at the young upstart. "But for God's sake, don't bother me."

leonard.greene@nypost.com

(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...


TOPICS: Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: adultery; atcanaansedge; bookreview; mlk; taylorbranch
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To: durasell

I don't think all men cheat on their wives.


21 posted on 01/02/2006 4:04:29 AM PST by mlc9852
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To: mlc9852

Not at all. But all men are flawed.


22 posted on 01/02/2006 4:07:34 AM PST by durasell (!)
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To: durasell

"Yeah, but he looked like this" (/sarc).
23 posted on 01/02/2006 4:10:30 AM PST by Liz (You may not be interested in politics; doesn't mean politics isn't interested in you. Pericles)
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To: Liz

Taylor Branch will be featured on C-SPAN's three hour "In Depth" program, Sunday, February 5th.


24 posted on 01/02/2006 4:12:29 AM PST by leadpenny
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To: Zack Nguyen
....MLK was right about a lot of things, but he was protected and allowed to behave the way he did.......

MLK's purposes were noble---how he achieved them may not have been as noble-minded.

25 posted on 01/02/2006 4:14:01 AM PST by Liz (You may not be interested in politics; doesn't mean politics isn't interested in you. Pericles)
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To: Liz

kwanza bump


26 posted on 01/02/2006 4:14:41 AM PST by sure_fine (*not one to over kill the thought process*)
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To: Liz

Thanks for the thread -- I'm off to work.

Here's a Pericles quote.

Our form of government does not enter into rivalry with the institutions of others. Our government does not copy our neighbors', but is an example to them. It is true that we are called a democracy, for the administration is in the hands of the many and not of the few. But while there exists equal justice to all and alike in their private disputes, the claim of excellence is also recognized; and when a citizen is in any way distinguished, he is preferred to the public service, not as a matter of privilege, but as the reward of merit. Neither is poverty an obstacle, but a man may benefit his country whatever the obscurity of his condition. There is no exclusiveness in our public life, and in our private business we are not suspicious of one another, nor angry with our neighbor if he does what he likes; we do not put on sour looks at him which, though harmless, are not pleasant. While we are thus unconstrained in our private business, a spirit of reverence pervades our public acts; we are prevented from doing wrong by respect for the authorities and for the laws, having a particular regard to those which are ordained for the protection of the injured as well as those unwritten laws which bring upon the transgressor of them the reprobation of the general sentiment.


27 posted on 01/02/2006 4:16:55 AM PST by durasell (!)
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To: durasell
Consequences??????
28 posted on 01/02/2006 4:20:52 AM PST by Coldwater Creek ("Over there, over there, We won't be back 'til it's over Over there.")
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To: Zack Nguyen
King is one of the reasons that J.Edgar Hoover was taken down, after his death, and is now reviled by most who read current J.E.H. "history".


The anology about blacks being able to denigrate and cast aspersions (with open justification) at our Founding Fathers, while white men may not reveal even the faintest wrongs of King, Karenga, Jackson, or others is well taken.





29 posted on 01/02/2006 4:23:05 AM PST by G.Mason (I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is to try to please everyone -- Bill Cosby)
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To: mlc9852
I know that ALL men do not cheat! There should be no excuse for bad judgment and a person should have to suffer the consequences. I can forgive anyone, but there is still a price to pay.
30 posted on 01/02/2006 4:24:26 AM PST by Coldwater Creek ("Over there, over there, We won't be back 'til it's over Over there.")
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To: Liz

"Branch has been a good friend of President Clinton for over two decades and frequently advises him on racial matters."

http://literati.net/Branch/


31 posted on 01/02/2006 4:29:44 AM PST by nuconvert (No More Axis of Evil by Christmas ! TLR) [there's a lot of bad people in the pistachio business])
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To: sure_fine
kwanza bump

Could you please inform me what your "bump" has to do with this story? I'd appreciate it.

Thanx.

32 posted on 01/02/2006 4:43:10 AM PST by rdb3 (This is a ch__ch. What's missing?)
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To: Zack Nguyen
Honesty about our history requires it

that's an uphill battle around here if the subject matter includes any racial, ethnic or religious minority.

this forum is only slightly less politically correct than the left in that regard....and for the reasons you mentioned. it's about fear, not truth

there are folks watching this very thread who given an opening are going to come after you on your King comments no matter how true they might be.

Jack Nicholson was right.

33 posted on 01/02/2006 4:52:29 AM PST by wardaddy (If they don't own at least one pick-up, then they need to be watched closely)
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To: rdb3

Uhm it IS Kwanza isn't it?


34 posted on 01/02/2006 4:53:26 AM PST by DainBramage
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To: DainBramage
Uhm it IS Kwanza isn't it?

Is it? I don't pay attention to that garbage.

Yet my question remains.

35 posted on 01/02/2006 5:00:26 AM PST by rdb3 (This is a ch__ch. What's missing?)
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To: Zack Nguyen

Papa was a rolling stone....


36 posted on 01/02/2006 5:12:35 AM PST by conservative barking moonbat
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To: mariabush

Yeah, usually lots.


37 posted on 01/02/2006 5:19:34 AM PST by durasell (!)
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To: DainBramage
"JESSIE: "Uh Mah-tin...Coot ya step out on da balconey wit me?"

Good one there. Jesse didn't actually do this, but only because he wasn't smart enough to think of it.
"Shakedown" Jesse has done more damage to black people in America than the Klan.
His "blame someone else for your problems" mentality is extremely toxic for those who drink it.
Those that don't take Jesse's cup seem to do just fine. They are just regular Americans.
38 posted on 01/02/2006 5:29:54 AM PST by HereInTheHeartland (Never bring a knife to a gun fight, or a Democrat to do serious work...)
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To: wardaddy
this forum is only slightly less politically correct than the left in that regard....and for the reasons you mentioned. it's about fear, not truth

You've got that right.

Black folks have put MLK up on a pedestal, and white folks aren't about to "scratch the paint" to see what lies beneath because they might be labeled "racists".

39 posted on 01/02/2006 5:32:58 AM PST by Noachian (To control the courts the people must first control their Congress.)
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To: Liz

My FIL is a former FBI agent. According to him, MLK's affairs were discovered accidently. While they were listening in on a certain young lady, a man showed up. It didn't take them long to discover the man was MLK.


40 posted on 01/02/2006 5:37:13 AM PST by SoftballMominVA
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