Coretta Scott King

Coretta Scott King (née Scott; April 27, 1927 – January 30, 2006) was an American author, activist, and civil rights leader. She was the wife of Martin Luther King Jr. from 1953 until his assassination in 1968. She worked hard to support equal rights for African Americans and was a leader in the civil rights movement during the 1960s. She was also a singer and often used music in her work for civil rights.

Coretta met her husband while they were both in graduate school in Boston. After his death, she continued their work, leading the fight for racial equality and becoming active in the Women's Movement. She founded the King Center and worked to make Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday a national holiday. Her efforts paid off when Ronald Reagan signed the law creating Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 1983.

Later in life, Coretta spoke out for fairness for all people, including support for LGBTQ rights and opposition to unfair treatment of people in other countries, known as apartheid. She became friends with many important leaders, such as John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Robert F. Kennedy. She passed away five months after suffering a stroke. Her funeral was attended by thousands, including several U.S. presidents. She was honored in many ways, including being the first African American to lie in state at the Georgia State Capitol.

Childhood and education

Coretta Scott was born in Heiberger, Alabama, the third of four children of Obadiah Scott and Bernice McMurry Scott. Her parents wanted her and her siblings to get a good education, even when money was hard to find. Coretta went to a small elementary school and later to Lincoln Normal School in Marion, Alabama, the closest black high school at that time because schools were still kept separate by race.

She did very well in school and graduated as valedictorian in 1945. She loved music, singing, and acting in plays. She then went to Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio, where she studied music and worked for fairness and equality for all people. She joined groups like the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People to help make a difference.

New England Conservatory of Music and Martin Luther King Jr.

Coretta Scott King studied music at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. There she met civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. A friend gave him her phone number after he asked about students on campus. Coretta was not sure at first, but they started dating and quickly felt a strong connection. They liked talking about important ideas and shared their hopes for the future.

In June 1953, Coretta and Martin got married. They changed a part of their wedding promise that was not fair to women, which was unusual at the time. After finishing her studies, Coretta moved with Martin to Montgomery, Alabama in 1954. They soon became leaders in a big protest against unfair bus rules, called the Montgomery bus boycott. Coretta felt proud to help make a change for fairness and equality.

Civil Rights Movement

Coretta Scott King supported equal rights for African Americans. She helped her husband, Martin Luther King Jr., with his work. She joined many activities to support fair treatment for all people.

Coretta taught Sunday school and worked with church groups. She gave concerts and spoke to people about change. She traveled with Martin to places like India to learn peaceful ways to help others. Coretta worked to help pass laws to protect people's rights. She talked about the important roles women had in the movement.

Assassination of her husband

Main article: Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King Jr. was shot and killed in Memphis, Tennessee on April 4, 1968. Coretta Scott King heard about it when she came back from shopping with her daughter Yolanda. It was very hard for her to tell her children that their father had died. She received many kind messages from people.

Coretta worked to support her family and continue her husband’s work. She spoke to many people about peace and fairness, using notes her husband left. She also started the King Center for Nonviolent Social Change in Atlanta to keep his memory alive. Coretta spoke about many important topics, including women’s rights, fair pay, and peace around the world.

Later life

Every year after her husband died in 1968, Coretta Scott King went to a special service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta to honor his birthday on January 15. She worked hard for many years to make this day a national holiday. Her efforts succeeded in 1986 when Martin Luther King Jr. Day became an official federal holiday.

Coretta was also very active in many important causes. She spoke out against unfair treatment of people, supported peace around the world, and worked to make sure everyone was treated equally. She traveled to different places, taught classes, and gave speeches to share her ideas about fairness and justice. She also helped raise money for important projects and supported friends working for positive change. Her strong voice and dedication continue to inspire many people around the world.

Opposition to apartheid

During the 1980s, Coretta Scott King spoke out against unfair laws in South Africa that separated people by their race. She took part in protests and traveled to South Africa to show her support for those fighting for equality.

Peacemaking

Coretta Scott King believed strongly in working for peace. She supported actions that did not use fighting or violence to make changes, and she spoke up against harsh punishments and wars.

LGBT equality

Coretta Scott King supported the idea that everyone, including people who love others of the same gender, should be treated fairly and with respect. She spoke about how unfair treatment of any group can hurt everyone and encouraged people to include everyone in their efforts for justice.

The King Center

After her husband's death, Coretta Scott King started The King Center to keep his memory alive and continue his work for justice and peace. She worked to collect his papers and create a place where people could learn about his ideas and efforts. She also faced some challenges, but she kept working to make sure his legacy was honored correctly.

Coretta Scott King Center for Cultural and Intellectual Freedom

In 2005, Coretta Scott King allowed her name to be used by her old school, Antioch College, to start a center that helps people learn about and work on issues like fairness for all, treating everyone equally, and making the world a better place for everyone.

Illness and death

Main article: Death and funeral of Coretta Scott King

Coretta Scott King began having health problems in 2004. In April 2005, she was hospitalized and found to have a heart condition. She later had several small strokes and a mild heart attack in August 2005. After time in the hospital, she went home to keep getting better.

Sadly, Coretta Scott King died in January 2006 while in Mexico, where she was getting special care for her strokes and a serious illness. Her funeral was in Georgia, and many important leaders came to honor her. She was later buried next to her husband, Martin Luther King Jr., at the King Center.

Family life

Coretta Scott King was married to Martin Luther King Jr., and they had four children: Yolanda, Martin III, Dexter, and Bernice. Coretta helped Martin stay strong during hard times. After Martin died, Coretta worked to honor his memory. She helped create a special day to celebrate his life and worked to build a center in Atlanta to remember him. Her children also grew up to support fair treatment for all people, just like their parents did.

Lawsuits

The King family had some legal issues about Martin Luther King Jr.’s belongings. In 1992, they asked a court to help them get important papers back from an auction house in California. In 1994, they reached an agreement with USA Today because the newspaper had used Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous "I Have a Dream" speech without permission. In 1996, they also asked CBS to pay for showing parts of the same speech.

In 1998, Coretta Scott King and her son talked to government leaders about questions they had regarding Martin Luther King Jr.’s death. They wanted more people to look into what happened.

Legacy

Coretta Scott King worked hard to keep the memory of her husband, Martin Luther King Jr., alive. She created the King Center the year he passed away, which helped honor his life and work. She helped create a special holiday called Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which is now celebrated in all 50 states.

Coretta was known for her kindness and strong spirit. She was friends with other important women, like Jacqueline Kennedy and Ethel Kennedy. Coretta’s words were important to many. Her life has been shown in several movies and television shows.

Main article: Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Recognition and tributes

Coretta Scott King received many honors for her work. She was given special degrees from famous schools like Princeton University, Duke University, and Bates College. In 1970, a special award was created for excellent African-American writers and illustrators of children's literature. She also received many other awards, including the Gandhi Peace Prize in 2004.

After her death, many people and groups paid tribute to her. Schools, leaders, and organizations showed their respect for her work in making the world a better place. In 2007, a school for girls called The Coretta Scott King Young Women's Leadership Academy opened in Atlanta, Georgia. In 2023, a special sculpture called The Embrace was unveiled in Boston to honor her and her husband.