Categories: Current Events

Coretta Scott King died of ovarian cancer on Tuesday, January 31, just before the start of Black History Month. She was born on April 27, 1927, and grew up in Alabama, where racism was at its worst. She was an excellent student, and was valedictorian of her high school class. Contrary to popular belief, she didn’t join the civil rights movement because of Martin Luther King. In fact, she was a civil rights activist before she met him. She supported him and his cause all throughout his life, making many public speeches supporting civil rights.

Unlike many widows who slip out of the public eye after their husbands’ death, she grew more determined to make his dream a reality. She was instrumental in making his birthday a national holiday and in raising funds for the creation of the King Center. She received numerous accolades during her life, and even after, from many important figures such as Nelson Mandela, Bill Clinton, Al Sharpton and George W. Bush. She had a silent but undeniable inner strength, and was an excellent mother, wife, woman and human being. Goodbye Coretta. We’ll miss you.