“The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.”
- Coretta Scott King (1927-2006) author, activist
Coretta Scott King
Coretta Scott King (née Scott; April 27, 1927 – January 30, 2006) was an American author, activist, and civil rights leader who was the wife of Martin Luther King Jr. from 1953 until his assassination in 1968. As an advocate for African-American equality, she was a leader for the civil rights movement in the 1960s. King was also a singer who often incorporated music into her civil rights work. King met her husband while attending graduate school in Boston. They both became increasingly active in the American civil rights movement.
King has been referred to as “First Lady of the Civil Rights Movement”.
Coretta Scott was born in Heiberger, Alabama, the third of four children of Obadiah Scott (1899–1998) and Bernice McMurry Scott (1904–1996). She was born in her parents’ home, with her paternal great-grandmother Delia Scott, a former slave, presiding as midwife.
Despite envisioning a career for herself in the music industry, Coretta knew that it would not be possible if she were to marry King. However, since King possessed many of the qualities she liked in a man, she found herself “becoming more involved with every passing moment.” When asked by her sister what made King so “appealing” to her she responded, “I suppose it’s because Martin reminds me so much of our father.” At that moment, Scott’s sister knew King was “the one”.
King’s parents visited him in the fall and had suspicions about Coretta Scott after seeing how clean his apartment was.
[ed. note: I found this entry both puzzling and enduring. I can only surmise that, like any college student, if young Martin had a tidy apartment, he must be putting his best foot forward for Coretta!]
