Coretta Scott King and Lou Rawls were two individuals who dedicated their lives to the advancement of equal rights and opportunities for black people.
Though their approaches were different, both were particularly devoted to the education of young black men and women.
King, known to many as the “first lady of the Civil Rights movement,” kept alive Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream, when some would have been discouraged.
“I think you rise to the occasion in a crisis,” she once said. “I think the Lord gives you strength when you need it. God was using us – and now he’s using me, too.”
King, 78, died in her sleep, the family said.
Confined to a wheelchair while battling advanced ovarian cancer and recovering from a stroke and heart attack, King still found the time to make her first appearance in a year on the day before her husband’s birthday, according to the Associated Press.
King was described as a “freedom fighter” by the Rev. Jesse Jackson. Others said she was “the living dream of Martin Luther King.”
Lou Rawls, the smooth baritone who was known for his charitable undertakings just as well as he was known for his musical talents, died last month leaving behind a plethora of opportunity for students at HBCUs.
“Lou Rawls was one of the music world’s most versatile vocalists,” said Neil Portnow, Recording Academy president, in a statement released on behalf the organization that awards the Grammys.
“His deep, smooth, soulful style exemplified his classy elegance and made him one of the most recognizable voices anywhere. And his philanthropic efforts on behalf of many charitable causes further displayed his passion and commitment to helping others through music. We have lost a true musical pioneer, but his legacy will continue to inspire us all.”
The 72-year-old three-time Grammy winner was hospitalized and undergoing treatment for lung and brain cancer.
Rawls organized and hosted telethons for the United Negro College Fund,
An Evening of Stars, annually since 1979, raising more than $200 million for 39 private, historically black colleges, according to the Associated Press.
He crossed musical genres flawlessly; from gospel, the genre in which he was trained, to soul and even pop.
“I’ve gone the full spectrum, from gospel to blues to jazz to soul to pop,” Rawls once said on his web site, according to the AP. “And the public has accepted what I’ve done through it all.”A man of many talents, Rawls will forever be remembered for his contributions.