truthseekersjournal
By Milton Kirby | Atlanta, GA |April 27, 2025
Coretta Scott King was born in rural Heiberger, Alabama, on April 27, 1927. Her family lived modestly but comfortably. She was descended from enslaved people and had Irish ancestry as well. She showed strong values, discipline, and a love for music from a young age.
Coretta graduated valedictorian from her high school, Lincoln Normal School, in 1945. She then attended Antioch College in Ohio. King broke racial barriers as one of the first Black students to study there. Later, she earned a degree in voice and violin from the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, intending to become a concert vocalist.
While in Boston, she met a young minister named Martin Luther King Jr. They fell in love and married in 1953. They soon became partners in the fight for civil rights.
Coretta gave up her dream to be a concert singer and took up the march for freedom. She used her voice differently. She sang at rallies and held “freedom concerts” to raise money for the cause.
In 1956, their home in Montgomery, Alabama, was bombed. She and her infant daughter were inside. Thankfully, neither was hurt. But it showed the danger of their work.
Coretta stood firm. She marched, spoke out, and supported her husband’s mission. After Dr. King was killed in 1968, Coretta kept going. Just four days later, she gave a speech at Morehouse College in his place.
She led the effort to create the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change. The center became a place for learning about justice and peace.
Coretta also fought for other causes. She opposed the Vietnam War. She stood up for women’s rights and helped found the National Organization for Women. She spoke out against apartheid in South Africa. She was an early supporter of LGBTQ rights, saying, “Homophobia is like racism and anti-Semitism.”
Coretta pushed hard for a national holiday to honor Dr. King. For more than 15 years, she lobbied leaders. In 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed the bill. Martin Luther King Jr. Day became a federal holiday.
At the signing, President Reagan said, “Mrs. King, I am pleased to sign this legislation that honors your husband’s legacy. Your efforts have been instrumental.”
Tributes to Coretta Scott King for various accomplishments
- President Reagan: “Her courage kept Dr. King’s dream alive.”
- Senator Ted Kennedy: “Mrs. King showed the same strength her husband had.”
- Vice President George H. W. Bush: “Your husband’s dream is now a national commitment.”
- Senator Joe Biden: “Well done.”
- Nelson Mandela: “She was a soldier for peace around the world.”
- President Bill Clinton: “She stood for love, not hate. For hope, not fear.”
- Hillary Clinton: “She built her own legacy of justice and peace.”
- Bishop Desmond Tutu: “She was a moral leader, full of grace.”
- President Jimmy Carter: “Coretta’s dignity inspired millions.”
- Barack Obama: “She fought for the rights of all people—Black, white, straight, gay.”
- Oprah Winfrey: “Mrs. King was a queen in every sense.”
- Maya Angelou: “She wore hope like a crown.”
- Jesse Jackson: “She was the glue that held the movement together.”
- Andrew Young: “Her wisdom guided us in dark times.”
- Rep. John Lewis: “She walked the walk and never turned back.”
Coretta Scott King received over 60 honorary degrees. She met world leaders like Pope John Paul II and Mandela. She wrote her memoir, My Life with Martin Luther King Jr., in 1969.
In 2006, she passed away. Georgia honored her by allowing her body to lie in state at the Capitol—the first Black woman to receive that honor. She was laid to rest beside her husband at The King Center in Atlanta, near the eternal flame of justice.
Her life was one of courage, vision, and heart. She was more than Dr. King’s wife. She was a leader, a fighter, and a voice for those unheard. Her light still shines.
Please consider supporting open, independent journalism – no contribution is too small!
