There was more to Coretta Scott King

Coretta Scott King

One of the most recognizable photos of Coretta Scott King was captured during the April 9, 1968, funeral of her spouse, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who was assassinated on April 4 of that year. The photo showed a very somber Ms. King giving loving comfort to her very young daughter, Bernice.

Now the world is paying tribute to Coretta Scott King, who passed away on Jan. 31 at the age of 78. Her health had deteriorated after suffering a stroke and heart attack last year.

While her world-renowned spouse was alive, Ms. King was seen mostly in his shadow—thanks mainly to the sexist-oriented mainstream media. But so many times she was in the forefront of marches for civil rights, especially in Alabama, and helped raise funds for the struggle at “Freedom Concerts.”

Following Dr. King’s death, Ms. King continued to champion various causes for more than civil rights, while at the same time raising four children as a single parent. Born into rural poverty in Alabama, she supported the demands of striking sanitation workers in Memphis as did Dr. King; spoke at rallies against the Vietnam War, such as the one held in Central Park on April 27, 1968, and marched against apartheid South Africa during the 1980s. She was also a vocal critic of the Iraq War until illness overcame her.

Ms. King was instrumental in leading a massive campaign to win an official federal holiday recognizing the Jan. 15 birthday of Dr. King, which is now commemorated on the third Monday of every January. This holiday was first implemented during the reactionary Reaganite era on Jan. 20, 1986.

Coretta Scott King should be remembered not just as the partner of the most beloved civil rights leader of the 20th century but as someone who was her own person, with her own convictions, that led her to make important contributions to the struggle for social justice and equality.