WE DON'T HAVE ANY SUSPECTS AT
THE TIME.> THIS WEDNESDAY
MARKS 50 YEARS SINCE THE
ASSASSINATION OF MARTIN LUTHER
KING, JR..
HE WAS THE LEADER OF THE CIVIL
RIGHTS MOVEMENT, BUT HE WAS
ALSO THE PASTOR AND THE FATHER
OF FOUR YOUNG CHILDREN.
CBS4 SPOKE WITH THE CHILDREN,
AND THEY SPOKE ABOUT THEIR
FATHER'S LEGACY 50 YEARS LATER
IN THE TRAUMA OF APRIL 4, 1968,
WHICH IS STILL FRESH IN THEIR
MINDS.
MARTIN AND I WERE WATCHING
TELEVISION, AND EVEN TO THIS
DAY WHEN I SEE A BREAKING NEWS
FLASH, I HAVE PTSD.
YOU SEE HER FATHER BEING SHOT
ON TELEVISION, AND THAT IS VERY
TRAUMATIC.
MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR., THE
APOSTLE OF NONVIOLENCE IN THE
CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT HAS BEEN
SHOT TO DEATH IN MEMPHIS,
TENNESSEE.
I REMEMBER IS GOING BACK TO
MOTHER AND DAD'S ROOM TO GET AN
EXPLANATION FROM HER.
I DON'T KNOW THAT SHE SAID HER
DADDY HAS BEEN SHOT.
WHAT I REMEMBER HER SAYING WAS
YOUR DAD HAS GONE HOME TO LIVE
WITH GOD.
HEAVY -- HAVE YOU GRIEVED IN
THE WAY THAT WE ALL GRIEVED THE
LOSS OF A LOVED ONE?
ALL OF US TO AN EXTENT HAVE
NOT FULLY HAD THE CREDIT -- HAD
THE CHANCE TO GRIEVE.
OUR MOM WAS SO STOIC, AND SHE
HELD EVERYTHING TOGETHER FOR
ALL OF US TO BE STRONG.
BUT AS A CHILD WHEN YOU EMULATE
THAT IN A REAL SENSE, YOU'RE
HOLDING IN YOUR REAL EMOTIONS.
HAVE YOU LET GO?
I AM STILL WORKING ON IT.
IT IS ALMOST A LIFELONG
PROCESS.
MY FIRST REAL MOMENT WAS ON A
RETREAT WITH OUR YOUTH.
HOW OLD WERE YOU?
I WAS 16.
I LAID OUT OVER A BED FOR TWO
HOURS.
I KEPT SAYING WHY?
WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME?
WHY DID YOU TAKE HIM?
DID YOU BLAME ANYONE? I
WAS ANGRY WITH GOD, BECAUSE I
FELT HE COULD'VE STOPPED IT.
I WAS ANGRY AT MY FATHER, YOU
KNOW, FOR LEAVING ME.
I WAS ANGRY AT WHITE PEOPLE,
BECAUSE I FELT LIKE THEY WERE
RESPONSIBLE, AND I DIDN'T KNOW
AT THE TIME WHETHER I WAS ANGRY
AT MY MOTHER.
EVENTUALLY, I REALIZED I HAD
ANGER WITH EVERYBODY.
I WANT TO SHOW YOU MIKE
WALLACE SITTING DOWN WITH YOUR
FAMILY, THE CHRISTMAS AFTER THE
ASSASSINATION OF YOUR FATHER.
YOU EVER HAVE ANY
DIFFICULTIES BECAUSE YOU ARE
MARTIN LUTHER KING?
ONE TIME NOT TOO LONG AGO,
BOY WAS TEASING ME ABOUT MY
NAME.
HE SAID SOMETHING THAT WASN'T
GOOD.
NOW, THIS LITTLE GIRL, HER
NAME IS BONNIE.
WHAT YOU WANT FOR CHRISTMAS,
BUNNY?
A BICYCLE.
WHAT DID I BRING BACK TO YOU
WATCHING THE INTERVIEW?
EVERY TIME I SEE SOMETHING
OUT OF OUR CHILDHOOD, I KIND OF
LONG FOR THAT TIME PERIOD WHERE
WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE SO MUCH
RESPONSIBILITY.
YOU WERE VERY CLOSE.
YEAH, AS KIDS WE WERE.
ARE YOU IN A GOOD PLACE NOW?
WAS THERE A RIFT?
I DON'T THINK THAT I CAN
RECALL THAT THERE WAS A TIME
WHERE WE GOT TO THE PLACE WHERE
WE NEVER SPOKE TO EACH OTHER.
I THINK PUBLICLY, YOU HAVE TO
BE ALLOWED TO WORK THROUGH OR
NAVIGATE THROUGH YOUR
CHALLENGES.
DID YOU HAVE TO LOSE YOUR
FATHER FOR THE NATION AND THE
WORLD TO APPRECIATE HIM THE WAY
THEY DO TODAY?
IF I HAD TO DO IT ALL OVER
AGAIN, WHAT I WANT MY DAD HERE?
I WOULD SAY, NO.
OUR WORLD IS IN A BETTER PLACE
BECAUSE OUR FATHER GAVE HIS
LIFE, SO YES, I WORK THROUGH
HAVING HIM HERE TO ASK THE
TOUGH QUESTIONS WHEN I AM GOING
OUT ON A DATE OR SOMETHING, BUT
YOU KNOW, WHERE WOULD OUR WORLD
TO BE?
THE KING CHILDREN BELIEVE
THAT THEIR FATHER'S LEGACY HAS
BEEN DUMBED DOWN.
THEY SAY HE WAS FAR MORE
RADICAL IN HIS QUEST IN RACIAL
AND ECONOMIC INJUSTICE AS WELL
AS THE VIETNAM WAR.
OF COURSE, IT WAS HIS SUPPORT
FOR THOSE STRIKING SANITATION
WORKERS THAT TOOK HIM TO
