In the Presence of a King

Growing up in Memphis, Tennessee in the 1960s, the author, through the lenses of a seven-year-old, caught a glimpse of one of the greatest campaigns in American history, the Civil Rights Movement. Her grandfather, Pa-pa, was a sanitation worker in Memphis, Tennessee and therefore active in the Civil Rights Movement. Even though her life was absent academic or economic legacy, she wanted to be special. While she knew she was different, she did not believe she was special. What is more, she wanted to be pretty, shiny, and sparkly. But there was nothing sparkly about her life. The only sparkles she ever knew about were found in fairy tales. So she decided when she grew up, she would become a princess, like Cinderella! They shared similarities after all. Their families were without much money and their children had lots of chores. If Cinderella could become a princess, perhaps she could too, or at least she could have some time in the presence of a king! Through a remarkable labyrinth of events in the river city, this little girl would have one evening in the presence a King - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. that is. This children’s book is a historical piece that speaks to the growth of a nation and is a story of possibility, hope, and promise. It helps children to dream and to identify their talents that will lead to purposeful living.