Coretta Scott King

Who was Coretta Scott King (April 27, 1927 - January 30, 2006)? For many people her identity was linked solely to her role as the wife of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Beyond that, she was a well-educated renaissance woman, with multiple college degrees in music and education. While in college, she became an active member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and credited her college experiences with expanding her understanding of the world and how to become actively engaged in society. When she was denied the opportunity to student teach at a white school she wrote a letter of protest to the school administration.

Scott studied voice and piano at Boston’s New England Conservatory of Music. In 1952 she was introduced to Martin Luther King Jr. while he was a doctoral candidate at Boston University’s School of Theology. They married on June 18, 1953. Beyond her role as a pastor’s wife and mother of four children, Mrs. King dedicated her life to social justice and peace. As a civil rights leader, she was a creative strategist. She helped advance the idea of the “Freedom Concert” which incorporated various genres of music and poetry to share the message and raise funds for the movement.

After her husband’s assassination on April 4, 1968, protecting and advancing his legacy became the centerpiece of her life’s work. Two months after his death, she spoke to the 1968 graduating class at Harvard University and emphasized the importance of young people as activists for community change, peace, and freedom for all.

As the founder of the King Center for Nonviolent Social Change, she was the architect of his legacy. The King Center houses the world’s largest repository of primary source materials of King and the American Civil Rights Movement. For 15 years, she was the principal leader for the campaign to establish a national holiday to honor the life and service of Dr. King. She worked tirelessly to keep his vision of nonviolence and the beloved community alive and expanded her focus to include participation in anti-poverty and anti-apartheid protests, and advocacy for women’s and LGBTQ rights.

Scott King authored two books, “My Life with Martin Luther King, Jr.” and “Coretta: My Life, My Love, My Legacy.” She received over 60 honorary doctorates and gave inaugural leadership to numerous racial and social justice groups, including the Coalition of Conscience, composed of over 800 human rights organizations, the Black Leadership Forum, Black Leadership Roundtable, National Black Coalition for Voter Participation, and the Poor People’s Campaign.