Coretta Scott King
(April 27, 1927 – January 30, 2006)
Coretta Scott King was first a wife, Mother an American author, Activists for women movement t, and Civil rights leader in the 1960’s.
Coretta received awards both for her and her husband during her lifetime and was awarded posthumously for her charismatic behavior towards human rights. King was inducted into the Alabama Women’s Hall of Fame in 2009. She was the first African-American to lie in Georgia State Capitol upon her death King has been referred to as “First Lady of the Civil Rights Movement.
Coretta Scott King was born on April 27, 1929, in Heiberger near Marion, Alabama. She grew up with two other children. She had one brother named Obie, and she also had one sister named Edythe. Their mom’s name was Bernice. King inherited the love of music from her mother. At Lincoln High School she learned to play the trumpet and the piano, and she also sang as a soloist at the school recitals. She was at the top of her class when she graduated in 1945
At Antioch College; King majored in music and education and was a gifted musician. She also took part in the college work-study program. She acted as a Camp Counselor, Library Assistant, and a Nursery School attendant. The fact that she was African American was not a problem in any of these roles. By the time that Coretta had graduated from Antioch College in 1951, she has decided to become a professional singer rather than a schoolteacher. A friend introduced her to Martin Luther King, Jr. while she was studying at the Conservatory. “She said she wanted me to meet a very promising young minister from Atlanta,” she reflected with a laugh. “I wasn’t interested in meeting a young minister at that time.”
Coretta Scott might have been reluctant, but that young minister knew he’d found his true love. On their first date, he told her, “You know, you have everything I ever wanted in a woman. We ought to get married someday.” When marrying a man commuted to the Civil rights, she knew that she would not live the life of a quite minister’s wife. Their first child was born in 1955 and was named Yolanda. With the boycott there came danger-Coretta house was bombed in 1956, and from then on Coretta had to be alert on behalf of her children as well as her husband.
The Kings had three more children Martin Luther lll, Dexter, and Bernice. For the next few years Coretta full in her husband’s work and completely with integrity went in full force to fight for the cause of all humanity. She walked beside him in marches, traveling abroad with him, and she also gave his speeches when he was unable to do so.
When her husband was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1968 Coretta took it for granted that she would continue his work. Four days after his death she led a march of fifty thousand people through the streets of Memphis.
She campaigned hard for her husband’s birthday to be made a national holiday. After 14 years of lobbying, she finally succeeded when Then President Ronald Reagan signed the 1983 bill establishing Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as a federal holiday.
. It wasn’t until 2000 that all 50 states observed the holiday, with South Carolina last to put it on the books. Coretta Scott King had a passion for social justice that went beyond the U.S. Civil Rights Movement. She was also deeply troubled by apartheid in South Africa. She raised awareness and inspired demonstrations in the U.S. against South Africa’s racial policies, and she urged President Reagan to impose economic sanctions against South Africa.
. She considered gay rights crucial to an equal nation. Citing her late husband’s words, “’Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” she maintained that there must be a commitment in the Civil Rights Movement to work toward gay rights. A founder of The Committee for a Sane Nuclear Policy, she was devoted to pacifism and world peace. She strongly opposed the 2003 invasion of Iraq. In 1970, the Ethnic & Multicultural Information Exchange Round Table established the Coretta Scott King Award for outstanding African American authors. The first honoree was Lillie Patterson, for her book Martin Luther King, Jr: Man of Peace. Other honorees have included Maya Angelou, Alice Childress and Sidney Poitier.
A true inspiration to all for pursuing equality for all no matter who you are Mrs. Coretta Scott King did win in her final days by the end of her 77th year, Coretta began experiencing health problems. Her husband’s former secretary, Dora McDonald assisted her part-time during this period in her life.
Hospitalized in April 2005, a month after speaking in Selma at the 40th anniversary of the Selma Voting Rights Movement she was diagnosed with a heart condition and was discharged on her 78th and final birthday. Later, she suffered several small strokes. On August 16, 2005, she was hospitalized after suffering a stroke and a mild heart attack initially, she was unable to speak or move her right side.
King’s daughter Bernice reported that she had been able to move her leg on Sunday, August 24 while her other daughter and eldest child Yolanda asserted that the family expected her to fully recover. She was released from Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta on September 22, 2005, after regaining some of her speech and continued Physiotherapy at home.
Due to continuing health problems, Mrs. King cancelled a number of speaking and traveling engagements throughout the remainder of 2005. On January 14, 2006, Coretta made her last public appearance in Atlanta at a dinner honoring her husband’s memory. On January 26, 2006, King checked into a rehabilitation center in Rosario Beach, Mexico under a different name. Doctors did not learn her real identity until her medical records arrived the next day, and did not begin treatment due to her condition.
Coretta Scott King died on the late evening of January 30, 2006 at the rehabilitation center in Mexico the Oasis Hospital where she was undergoing Holistic therapy for her stroke and advanced stage ovarian cancer.
The main cause of her death is believed to be respiratory (could be upper or lower no specifics) failure due to complications from ovarian cancer.
The clinic at which she died was called the Hospital Santa Monica, but was licensed as Clinica Santo Tomas. After reports indicated that it was not legally licensed to “perform surgery, take X-rays, perform laboratory work or run an internal pharmacy, all of which it was doing,” as well as reports of it being operated by highly controversial medical figure Kurt Donsbach it was shut down by medical commissioner Dr. Francisco Versa.
Coretta Scott King’s body was flown from Mexico to Atlanta on February 1, 2006.
The eight-hour funeral at the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia Georgia was held on February 7, 2006. Bernice King did her eulogy. U.S. Presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, Jimmy Carter attended, as did their wives, with the exception of former First Lady Barbara Bush who had a previous engagement. The Ford family was absent due to the illness of President Ford (who himself died later that year). Now President Barack Obama among other elected officials attended the televised service. President Jimmy Carter and Rev. Joseph Lowery delivered funeral orations, and were critical of the Iraq War and the wire tapping of the Kings.
Mrs. King was temporary Mausoleum on the grounds of the King Center until a permanent place next to her husband’s remains could be built She had expressed to family members and others that she wanted her remains to lie next to her husband’s at the King Center.
On November 20, 2006, the new mausoleum containing both the bodies of Dr. and Mrs. King was unveiled in front of friends and family. The mausoleum is the third resting place of Martin Luther King, and the second of Mrs. King.
Source: Gerogia History Archies Wikipiedia, American Black History.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Wife Coretta Scott King Final Resting Place Together as One.