March 2, 2006

By J. JACOB EDEL
Contributing Writer

Rather than the gavel, drum beats signified the end of the King County Council meeting last Monday as Native American citizens expressed their joy for the approval of the new county logo.

In front of a large, diverse and cheerful assembly of citizens, the County Council approved an ordinance, 7-2, that changes the official logo from an encircled crown to an image of the famous civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

According to Councilmember Larry Gossett, who proposed the ordinance, the change “reflects a government committed to diversity, peaceful resolutions to differences, racial and religious tolerance, and social and economic justice for all citizens.”

The crown logo has been around since the 1950s but changed five times. Several councilmembers expressed their concerns about the crown, essentially saying the symbol is an oxymoron when used in American government.

Also before the vote, a number of people ranging from a third-grader to a white-bearded citizen spoke before the council in support of the change. High school students from Des Moines and SeaTac went first and were followed by a line of people who had signed up in advance.

“ This is an opportunity to redeem the name King,” Rev. Samuel McKinney of Seattle’s Mount Zion Baptist Church told the council.

King County was originally named after former Vice President William Rufus deVane King (1786-1853), who was elected with President Franklin Pierce in 1852. Washington became an official territory in 1853 just one year after the Oregon Territorial Legislature named Pierce and King Counties after the federal government’s newest top two executives.

Interestingly, Vice President King only served 45 days because he was terminally ill with tuberculosis when he took the oath of office. Though his vice presidency was ephemeral, it was the milestone of his work in government that included nearly six years as a North Carolina congressman and 34 years as an Alabama senator.

The ordinance cites Vice President King as a slave owner and proponent of the Fugitive Slave Act, a federal law passed in 1850 that made it possible for federal marshals to capture ex-slaves living in the North and send them south, forcing them back into slavery.

In 1986, the County Council proposed changing the namesake but lacked the authority to do so. Only the state legislature can name or change county names, and last April Gov. Christine Gregoire signed legislation that made the name change official.

“ It is time to give minorities more than just lip service,” an African-American citizen told the council.

The vote originally was scheduled for January 17, one day after the national holiday in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., but concerns arose about the county using King’s image for commercial purposes. Gossett then met with the reverend’s son, who told him it would be an honor for the King family.

“ The county does not intend to seek commercial profit from this tribute and wishes to ensure that its use of the new official county symbol is consistent with this intent,” the ordinance reads. “The county acknowledges the King Center’s policies regarding merchandise and similar commercial uses and intends to limit the county’s use of the logo to official county purposes.”

Gossett received the idea, or challenge, to change the logo during a rally on Martin Luther King Day at Garfield High School in 1999. According to Gossett, Eddie Rye Jr. grabbed the microphone and asked how many people knew the county’s namesake was in honor of Rev. King.

“ Out of the 2,500 people there, only about 30 raised their hands,” Gossett says.

Then Rye proposed that Gossett put forth an ordinance to change the logo to give King the respect and visibility he deserves since the county is named after him.

Now, it will be up to the county executive, Ron Sims, to find a graphic artist to design the logo. Once a prototype is available, the council will have to accept it and then the logo will begin appearing on county property like business cards, letterhead, equipment and buses.

“ You can bet that Councilmember Gossett will be one of the first to get a set of new cards when the logo comes out,” Gossett says. n