Coretta Scott King (April 27, 1927 – January 30, 2006) was an American civil rights activist, author, and the wife of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Martin Luther King Jr. As a leader in the civil rights movement and a key figure in the struggle for racial equality in the United States, she was known for her courage and dedication to the cause.
Born in Marion, Alabama, Coretta was the third of four children born to Obadiah Scott and Bernice McMurry Scott. She was raised in a rural, home-centered environment and worked in the fields with her family as a young girl. After graduating from Lincoln High School in 1945, she enrolled at Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio. She was one of the first African-American students admitted to the college.
During her college years, Coretta became involved in the civil rights movement and joined the Women's Political Council, a local civil rights organization. She also became active in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). In 1951, she met Martin Luther King Jr. at a NAACP-sponsored workshop in Boston, Massachusetts. The two were married the following year and had four children.
Coretta and Martin worked together in the civil rights movement. She was an integral part of the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963. She also organized the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and served as a leader in the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee. Coretta was a vocal advocate for the rights of African Americans and for women's rights.
In the 1970s, Coretta continued to be a leader in the civil rights movement and a powerful advocate for human rights. She founded the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change in Atlanta, Georgia, to promote her husband's legacy and to continue the fight for civil rights. She also served as a leader in the National Organization for Women (NOW) and was an active participant in peace and anti-nuclear movements.
Coretta was also an author and lecturer and released several books, including My Life with Martin Luther King Jr. (1969) and The Autobiography of Mrs. Martin Luther King (1969). She received numerous awards and honorary degrees in recognition for her activism and commitment to social justice.
Coretta Scott King dedicated her life to the struggle for civil rights and the advancement of human rights and dignity. She is remembered for her bravery and determination in the face of adversity. Her legacy
