Coretta Scott King

King had four children: Yolanda, Martin III, Dexter, and Bernice. Her children followed in their parents’ footsteps and became noted civil rights activists. After being at the head of the ‘King Center’ for many years, King handed over the reins to her son, Dexter.

In August 2005, King suffered a stroke and a mild heart attack. Her condition improved for a while but deteriorated again. In January 2006, she made her last public appearance at a dinner honoring her husband’s memory. On January 30, 2006, King breathed her last at the ‘Oasis Hospital’ in Mexico. She was undergoing therapy for her stroke and an advanced-stage ovarian cancer. The funeral was held in Georgia and was attended by former US presidents George W Bush, Bill Clinton, and Jimmy Carter.

Coretta Scott King was born on April 27, 1927, in Alabama. She was the third child of her parents, Obadiah King and Bernice McMurry King. She had two elder sisters, Edythe and Eunice, and a younger brother, Obadiah Leonard. The Kings owned a farm and were financially better placed than the other African–American families of the area. King’s father was one of the first black people to own a vehicle.

In order to support her family’s income, King started working on the farm from an early age. She attended the ‘Lincoln Normal School.’ The school was 14 kilometers from their home, but it was the closest school that allowed black children. King graduated in 1945. She was a talented singer, which made her the leading soprano of the school choir.

After graduation, King attended ‘Antioch College’ in Ohio. Although the college allowed non-white students, King was among the handful of black students to study there. Racial discrimination toward colored students urged her to become active in the ‘National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’ (NAACP). Later, she won a scholarship to the ‘New England Conservatory of Music’ in Boston.

While studying in Boston, King met Martin Luther King Jr., through a mutual friend. They became close, as they both believed in equal rights and fought for it. King Jr.’s father reminded King that as the wife of a Baptist minister, she would not be able to pursue a career in music. Their love was unmoved, and ultimately, they got the consent of their parents. The couple married in June 1953, at King’s family home. King completed her graduation in voice and piano, before moving to Montgomery, Alabama, with her husband.

In 1954, King Jr. became the full-time pastor of the ‘Dexter Avenue Baptist Church.’ King gave up her dreams of becoming a classical singer and started teaching in Sunday schools. She was also a member of the church choir. When King Jr. initiated the ‘Montgomery Bus Boycott,’ to protest against racial discrimination, King extended her wholehearted support. Even after receiving threatening phone calls, she was unshaken.

King took an active part in campaigning for civil rights legislation. She incorporated her musical abilities into her campaigns. In April 1958, King gave her first performance, at a concert in Birmingham. She changed the format of the show and told the story of the ‘Montgomery Bus Boycott’ through her songs. She organized “freedom concerts,” where she sang, read poetry, and gave lectures, to raise funds for the ‘Southern Christian Leadership Conference’ (SCLC) that was founded by her husband.

King was known for providing rock-solid support to her husband, even in critical situations. In January 1956, there was a bombing and explosion at their residence, which was triggered by the whites who detested civil rights activists. King was fearless and refused to leave her husband, despite their parents’ requests. When, in 1958, King Jr. was stabbed by a protestor, King remained by his bed till he recovered completely.

King maintained personal contacts with President John F Kennedy. In 1960, King Jr. was jailed for four months. Kennedy, who was a presidential candidate at that time, called up King, and promised all help. In 1963, King Jr. was arrested again. Kennedy, who was the president at that time, offered assistance, and King was allowed to talk to her husband.

In 1969, King published her memoirs, ‘My Life with Martin Luther King, Jr.’ She received several awards and honors in her life. In 1987, she received the ‘Candace Award for Distinguished Service’ from the ‘National Coalition of 100 Black Women.’ In 1997, King received the ‘Golden Plate Award’ from the ‘Academy of Achievement.’ In 2004, she was honored with the ‘Gandhi Peace Prize’ by the ‘Government of India.’