The evening, November 14, 2020 offered a bright fluttering “butterfly” spot of hope in our lives since the world has been battling the Covid-19 Pandemic throughout 2020. Mrs. Naomi Ruth Barber King and her late husband, Rev. Dr. Alfred Daniel “A.D.” Williams King, sibling to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and Dr. Christine King Farris held its 11th Annual Youth Empowerment Fundraising Awards Gala in Atlanta, Georgia on this rewarding evening.
Mrs. King and her President/CEO Professor Babs Onabanjo are working together passionately to keep A D King Foundation’s legacy alive and relevant.
Mrs. King, her husband and the rest of the King family have made many personal sacrifices to guide the nonviolence struggle through many decades.
Mrs. King has stood the test of time by living through the assassination of her brother in law Martin; the murder of her husband A.D. 15 months after Martin; her mother-n-law Mrs. Alberta King’s assassination; the loss of three children; house bombing (designated as a historical African American Civil Rights Network – AACRN as of September 24, 2020); office church bombing in Louisville, Kentucky; the many civil rights marches; and this year witnessing the loss of her good friends and other civil right leaders and legends: Rev. Dr. Joseph Lowery, Rev. Dr. C. T. Vivian, and Congressman John Lewis.
By the grace of God, she is still enjoying her 89th year of living, which she celebrated again 3 days after the gala which was November 17, 2020. At the gala, she was so delighted in the way we honored her.
She couldn’t forget her niece who was the oldest child of Martin and Coretta’s, their daughter Yolanda King who celebrated their birthdays together for so many years until the untimely death of Yolanda on May 15, 2007, one year after losing her mother, Mrs. Coretta Scott King, on January 30, 2006.
The A.D. King Foundation is a non-violent conflict resolution entity formed to revolutionize the mindset, attitude and behavior that promote violence and war with non-violent principles, methods and direct actions. The mission is to promote youth empowerment development and non-violent social change strategies as a way of life throughout the world. The goal is to build a beloved community with “Social Justice and Entrepreneurship” as the core.
At this year’s gala which proved to be a beautiful event, where guests were welcomed and hosted by Nicholas Stonestreet, President/CEO Ronald Blue Trust, a division of Thrivent Trust Company Investment Products and Services. The facility and food were first class. Everyone had a great time from the beginning to the end.
The Mistress of Ceremony was Ms. K. Renee Robertson. The beautiful, honorable evening consisted of praying, praising, singing, dancing, speeches, award presentations to the youth and others,
and hearing Mrs. King’s gracious words, “I will definitely continue to stand and pray for justice, non-violence principles all over the world”. She also said, “Love has no color, God is love so that you are special, one of a kind, and I am special and one of a kind…but we leave all in God’s Hand.
With those special words of wisdom, which will always be remembered, one could not ask for a better evening.
Thank you, Mrs. Naomi Ruth Barber King, Dr. Babs Onabanjo and many others who continue the legacy of the A D King Foundation, Inc.
For more information about the foundation visit:
www.adkingfoundation.com , www.adkingfoundation.ning.com, www.facebook.com/Drbabs.onabanjo , www.youtube.com/Babsonabanjo
Babs O Onabanjo, Ph.D.
President/CEO: A. D. King Foundation, Inc.
2505 Creel Rd
Atlanta, GA 30349 ph | 678-736-4933 cell: 770-873-9265fx | 770.474.2376
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JOE BEASLEY – November 27, 2020 – Via Email – Congratulations!
Thank you for such a beautiful article. It is enlightening, inspirational and factual about the wonderful 2020 virtual gala and awards. More importantly is the contribution of the less popular King who made a significant difference and contribution to the Civil Rights Movement in its own right but received very little recognition. Thank you Dr. Naomi Ruth Barber King for continuing the legacy of your beloved husband Rev. A D Williams King who paid the ultimate price for justice, freedom and peace. We owe the King family a debt of gratitude. Well done!