Coretta Scott King (In History) - April 27, 1927 - Jan. 30, 2006 (RIP)

Coretta Scott was born on a farm in Heiberger, Alabama. She studied music at Antioch College, and then moved on to enroll in the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston in 1951, where she studied voice and violin. While there, she met Dr. King and soon after, they were married in 1953. Coretta actively participated in the civil rights movement walking beside her husband in marches, traveling abroad with him, and giving speeches when he was unable to do so. She also made her own personal contribution. On behalf of the Women's Strike for Peace, she was a delegate at the Disarmament Conference in Geneva in 1962, and she often gave concerts on behalf of the civil rights movement. When her husband, Dr. Martin Luther King was assassinated, Coretta continued to work toward the fulfillment of her husband's goal for equality and social justice. She traveled the world speaking out against social injustice, co-founded organizations such as the Black Leadership Forum and the Black Leadership Roundtable, and continued her involvement in organized demonstrations. Ms. King led the effort for the establishment of a holiday in honor of Dr. King’s birthday. Her effort was realized in 1986 when Martin Luther King Day became a federal holiday. In 1968, Ms. King founded the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change.

Sites referencing Coretta Scott King:
http://www.thekingcenter.org/csk/bio.html http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/kin1bio-1 http://www.gale.com/free_resources/whm/bio/king_c_s.htm http://afroamhistory.about.com/od/corettascottking/p/bio_king_c.htm