Coretta Scott King

Coretta Scott King was an American author, activist, and prominent leader in the civil rights movement. As the wife of Martin Luther King Jr., she worked alongside him and, following his assassination, dedicated her life to preserving his legacy and advancing social justice causes. She founded the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change in Atlanta and played a pivotal role in establishing Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a federal holiday. Her advocacy extended globally to include anti-apartheid efforts, LGBT rights, and economic justice.

Early life and education

Coretta Scott was born on April 27, 1927, in Heiberger, Alabama, to parents Obadiah Scott and Bernice McMurry Scott. She grew up on the family farm in rural Perry County, where she experienced the hardships of segregation and economic depression. Scott excelled academically, graduating as valedictorian from Lincoln Normal School in Marion. She received a scholarship to Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in music and education, and joined the local chapter of the NAACP. Pursuing a career in music, she then won a scholarship to the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, where she earned a Bachelor of Music in voice.

Marriage and family

While studying in Boston, she was introduced to a young doctoral student at Boston University, Martin Luther King Jr., by a mutual friend. They married on June 18, 1953, at the Scott family home in a ceremony officiated by King's father, Martin Luther King Sr.. The couple moved to Montgomery, Alabama, where Martin Luther King Jr. became pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church. They had four children: Yolanda, Martin III, Dexter, and Bernice. Throughout their marriage, she balanced family life with active participation in the Civil rights movement, often performing at freedom concerts to raise funds for the movement.

Civil rights activism

She was a strategic partner in the Civil rights movement, participating in major campaigns like the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott and the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. She worked closely with organizations such as the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and the Women's Strike for Peace. Following the assassination of her husband in Memphis in 1968, she led a delegation to Washington, D.C., to champion the Poor People's Campaign. She founded the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change in Atlanta, serving as its president and CEO to promote his philosophy of nonviolent social change. She also spearheaded the fifteen-year campaign to establish Martin Luther King Jr. Day, testifying before Congress and mobilizing support from figures like President Jimmy Carter and musician Stevie Wonder.

Later life and legacy

In her later years, she remained a formidable advocate for a broad range of humanitarian issues. She was an early opponent of the apartheid system in South Africa, participating in protests and urging divestment. She also spoke out in support of LGBT rights, declaring that discrimination was wrong, and advocated for women's rights, joining the National Organization for Women's (NOW) march for the Equal Rights Amendment. She published her memoir, My Life with Martin Luther King, Jr., in 1969. Her final public appearance was in 2006 at the Salute to Greatness Award Dinner hosted by the King Center. She died on January 30, 2006, at a holistic health center in Rosarito, Mexico. Her funeral in Atlanta was attended by four U.S. presidents: George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George H. W. Bush, and Jimmy Carter.

Awards and honors

She received numerous accolades for her lifelong commitment to justice. In 1969, she was awarded the Universal Love Award from the Church of Scientology. She received the Courage of Conscience Award from the Peace Abbey in 1991. In 1997, she was honored with the Congressional Gold Medal, and in 2004, she was presented with the Gandhi Peace Prize by the Government of India. Several institutions bear her name, including the Coretta Scott King Young Women's Leadership Academy in Atlanta and the Coretta Scott King Award, presented annually by the American Library Association for outstanding children's literature on the African American experience.