The King Thing: First to inaugurate an event honoring the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
A former neighbor, Roebuck “Pops” Staples, was the first to coin the phrase, “The King Thing” and it stuck leading up to the event.
I uncovered an article heralding myself with a group of distinguished young men. We were the first to inaugurate an event honoring the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.! The only minister ever ordained by Dr. King, Rev. Sampson, was our keynote speaker. This was immediately after his birthday became a national holiday (Nov. ’83). We were the first to have a citywide tribute for the first recognized holiday in his honor, with dignitaries, city officials, luminaries, etc.