Thousands Gather to Honor Coretta Scott King - WSFA.com Montgomery Alabama news.

Thousands Gather to Honor Coretta Scott King

The stars are shining in Atlanta tonight. From Gladys Knight to Oprah Winfrey to President Bush, celebrities and politicians, the rich and famous are in Atlanta to honor Coretta Scott King. Her body lay in honor at Ebenezer Baptist where Dr. King was pastor for 8 years before his death and thousands gathered for a sorrowful final salute.

Remembrances filled the city that called her the first lady of the civil rights movement. A movement centered here in this historic church where she was a member and her husband the pastor.

Coretta Scott King became the first woman and first african american to lie in honor in the rotunda of the Georgia capitol. Thousands paid their respects.

"In 1968, it was unheard of for martin luther king lying in state at the state capitol, but here we are, years later, and mrs. King home-going ceremony."

Those who came say Mrs. King was more than a wife and mother of four children. She was the guardian of future generations of the civil rights movement.

"To honor her and what the paradigm of what they put into motion years ago."

Oprah Winfrey says, "Every time I sat with her, whether she spoke or not, I came away wiser. Knowing more about how to live, and what it means to be a real woman. I felt blessed always to be in her presence. She leaves us all a better america than the america of her childhood."

Here are some of the guests attending the funeral: President and Mrs Bush; Former President George H.W. Bush;  Bill Clinton and Senator Hillary Clinton;  Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter.  Talk show host Oprah Winfery will attend, too.

The Reverend Jesse Jackson, Ambassador Andrew Young and Georgia Governor Sonny Purdue are others among the long list of celebrities and politicans.