Hat tip Joy Hewitt
To mark the holidays last year, we pulled our oldest Christmas-themed episode down from the shelf and posted a 1968 story called “What Christ Looked Like.” As odd as that piece seems by today’s television standards, it went viral as soon as we posted it and became one of the most popular “60 Minutes Overtime” videos of 2011.
This year, we decided to go back to that same episode from December 24, 1968 and show you more. This one reflects the troubled mood of the nation that year: it’s a somber Christmas story from the family room of Martin Luther King just months after he was killed.
“60 Minutes” correspondent Mike Wallace joined the King family as they gathered around the tree to celebrate the first holiday without their father. We meet little Dexter, Bunny, Yokie, and Martin Luther King III, all dressed in their Sunday best. We also hear from King’s widow Coretta who told Wallace that Christmas of ’68 would be sad not only for the Kings. “I would imagine that the whole nation cannot really have a happy Christmas,” she said.
“But I think that it doesn’t mean,” she added, “that we will sit around and bathe in our grief.” A good message to remember.
“Bunny” is an old SOUL. Just a beautiful clip of the King Family. Correta Scott King was a true warrior, mother, and intelligent woman. Thanks for posting this clip, SG2.
MLK Jr. and his family GAVE unlimitlessly to America. God Bless them.
Wow!
Beautiful! Beautiful family! Coretta Scott King is amazing. So strong in faith & hope. It brings tears to my eyes. Very powerful interview!