KingKing's Widow: Avoid War

The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s widow urged world leaders Monday to settle their differences peacefully and avoid a painful war.

Coretta Scott King urged a packed crowd of about 1,000 at Ebenezer Baptist Church to honor the memory of King, who would have turned 74 last Wednesday. The federal King Day holiday, first celebrated in 1986, is on the third Monday in January.

"We commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. as a great champion of peace who warned us that war was a poor chisel for carving out a peaceful tomorrow," King said. "We must pursue peaceful ends through peaceful means. Martin said, 'True peace is not just the absence of tension, it is the presence of justice."'

Her comments came as the United States is considering military action against Iraq.

The daylong celebration of King's birthday was marked with memorials, church services and reflection. The ceremony at Ebenezer Baptist Church opened with songs and hymns, including "The Star-Spangled Banner" and "Lift Every Voice and Sing."

Sen. Zell Miller of Georgia referred to King as a "native son of Georgia who changed my life, the life of my grandson and your life... and the life of an entire nation, indeed the world, for the better. We must never forget that one person, only one person can make a difference."

Miller, a Democrat, said King was a leader whose dreams still inspire people worldwide every day.

"As we pause on this day to remember this great and noble man, let us all ask ourselves again the question... What are you doing for others?" Miller said.

More than 15,000 people are expected to eat at the Hosea Williams Feed the Hungry dinner at Turner Field. Williams, one of King's first lieutenants in the civil rights battle, died in 2000 after a battle with cancer.

Several universities held commemorative speeches Monday, and volunteer groups recruited people to help in the community.