Main Facts

Coretta Scott King played an important role in the African American Civil Rights movement in the 1960s. She was the spouse of Martin Luther King Junior, the famous civil rights activist. After her husband’s death, she became the leader of the movement and also became involved in the women’s movement.

Studies and Family Life

She was born on April 27^th, 1927. She came from Marion, Alabama. She was skilled in singing and violin playing and pursued formal studies in music. She won a scholarship to the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston; this is where she met her future husband. In 1953, Coretta and Martin married and moved to Montgomery, Alabama. Her husband worked as a pastor and she supported him in his work. Their marriage produced four children, who all followed the example of their parents as civil rights activists.

Multifaceted Work

She worked closely with her husband to pass the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Coretta participated in the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955.  She also worked as a public intermediary and as a go-between for peace and justice organizations. She criticized the sexual discrimination in the civil rights movement and emphasized the contribution of women in it in a 1966 issue of New Lady Magazine.

After her husband’s assassination on April 4^th, 1968, Coretta continued her work for the movement. She established the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change. Its base was Atlanta, Georgia, and she became its president from the beginning until 1995, when her son took over.

Further Contribution

She was a regular article contributor for social topics and from 1980, she became a CNN commentator. During that decade, she also expressed her opposition to apartheid and took part in protests in Washington. She had early voiced her support for gay and lesbian civil rights and called civil rights activists to oppose to any sort of bigotry that sought to strip a large group of people of their dignity in 1988.

Death and Tributes

She had a heart attack and stroke in August 2005 and died on January 30^th, 2006 in Mexico. Her memory lives on largely because of her bold work for civil rights in the United States. She also became the recipient of honorary degrees from several educational establishments. In 2007, the Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy was founded in Atlanta.

Coretta demonstrated strength and dedication to a cause that was much bigger than herself. She did not waiver in her vision for equality and human rights even after the death of Martin. She continued to write regular articles on social issues and published a syndicated column. Coretta was also behind the 15-year fight to have her husband’s birthday instituted as a national holiday. Her contributions are worthy of recognition.

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