Reverend reflects on King's life
http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/2010/feb/11/reverend-reflects-on-kings-life/
'Sanitizing' alters image of colleague.
By Janese Heavin
February 11, 2010
FULTON Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream of equality might not be
reality today, but don't tell the Rev. Samuel "Billy" Kyles that life
hasn't improved for blacks.
"People who say it's worse now weren't around then," he said. "It was
illegal for my ancestors to know how to read. It was illegal to go to
public places."
Blacks and whites might sit in separate groups today, he said, "but
at least you can go to that movie together."
Kyles has spent the past three days on the William Woods University
campus, encouraging students to pursue their dreams and sharing
firsthand accounts of the civil rights movement.
Kyles, 75, was on the balcony of the Lorraine Hotel in Memphis when a
bullet struck and killed King nearly 42 years ago. King was scheduled
to go to dinner at Kyles' house that day in that city, and the men
stepped on the balcony so King could smoke. When he collapsed, Kyles
quickly removed the crushed cigarette from King's clenched fist and a
pack of smokes from his pocket. King, he explained, did not want it
to get out to young people that he smoked.
It's a story Kyles tells frequently, in part to stress that King was human.
"There's been a good deal of sanitizing King to make him something he
wasn't," he said. "They twist and turn to make him fit and seek to
make him something other than a human being."
During a luncheon with students yesterday, Kyles was joined by friend
Jennifer Beggs-Vescovo, a 1986 William Woods graduate who helped
arrange his visit to Fulton.
The two met at the Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, and an "unlikely"
friendship formed, Beggs-Vescovo said.
"We have a lot of differences that are easy for the eye to see, but
the differences fall away when you get to know somebody," she said.
Kyles' visit concludes a series of events commemorating King at
William Woods. Last month, students watched the documentary "The
Witness: From the Balcony of Room 306," which recounts Kyles' memory
of that day. Students also created a banner to combat discrimination.
Equality wasn't the only sermon Kyles preached when he visited with
students. He also urged them to clean up the environment.
"My generation was greedy," he said. "We knew we were polluting the
streams and the air, but we did it anyway. You've got to fix it."
And he had a second request for those who might go on to become
lawmakers. "Don't privatize my Social Security," he quipped. "I'm
serious about that."
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Reach Janese Heavin at 573-815-1705 or e-mail jheavin@columbiatribune.com.
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Witness to Dr. King's murder speaks in Fulton
http://www.connectmidmissouri.com/news/story.aspx?id=414020
February 09, 2010
By Kate Walls
Ralph Abernathy and Samuel "Billy" Kyles were standing on the balcony
of Lorraine Motel in Memphis when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was shot.
"I looked back. He had been knocked back from the railing of the
balcony back onto the floor," Kyles said. "I rushed to his side.
There was a tremendous hole in the side of his face. There was a
bigger wound under his shirt. I couldn't see the wound, but I could
see all the blood."
Kyles is in Fulton this week sharing his stories of his friend's
assassination and the Civil Rights Movement.
Kyles spoke with students and the public Tuesday at William Woods University.
Kyles talked about the hours before the shooting on April 4, 1968 and
the effect the death of his dear friend had on the world.
"I doubt that a day goes by that something doesn't remind me of that
awful day," Kyles said. "But Memphis has been able to turn that
negative around. And people come from all over to visit the museum
and we're pleased with that."
Kyles has another speaking event Monday night at 7 p.m. in Cutlip
Auditorium and Tuesday at noon in the Ivy Room on the William Woods
University campus. Both events are free and open to the public.
For more information call (573) 642-2251
.
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