Peggy Wallace Kennedy

Daughters of MLK and George Wallace completing MLK's Dream

Today during MLK community time the guest speaker who came in was Peggy Wallace Kennedy. She was the daughter of George Wallace the governor of Alabama during the Civil Rights Era. He is well known for his inaugural speech saying, "Segregation today, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever". Many do not know about how his reputation affected his own daughter though. Before her father ran for governor she spoke of how in his court he demanded all to respect African Americans and how he even invited them into his office to eat so they would not sit segregated like in cafés. But his moderate racist could not win him the office of governor in Alabama, so he ran as a racists candidate and won. His thirst for power created a reputation that would proceed onto his children and grandchildren.

When Peggy went to the MLK church with her son many years later he saw all that his grandfather had done. He turned to her and asked, "Why did Papa do all those bad things?". She spoke of how it was that moment in her life where she should begin standing up for herself and her believes. She explained to her little 10 year old son that she didn't know the reason for her father's action, but it could be up to the both of them to change what would happen in the future. Peggy's whole family lived in politics and she had a high expectations expected of her. When her mother even became governor she was announced to be one the 9 most admired women in the world. Peggy was to afraid to break the standard in her family that when she was still a young teen in school a colored girl joined her class and all she wanted to do was greet her and make her feel welcomed, but the following eyes of her piers kept her silent. That day with her son though made her realize it was time to speak out for what was right and to tell her story.

Peggy became incredibly involved in Equal Rights after that moment. She spoke of Martin Luther Kings, "I have a Dream" speech where he stated, "I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers...". Peggy helped this dream come true. MLK's daughter, Bernice, held hands with Peggy on the front of the capital of Alabama right where Peggy's father had said "segregation forever". The dream of MLK was achieved as the cursed words of her father were deceased. 

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