WOMEN OF HISTORY: CORETTA SCOTT KING

In an age where female role models are seldom and where men of history are decorated (some more rightly so than others), its only fair the women of history are remembered alongside the men, in the same or greater spotlight. History has constantly masked away the female contribution to the world. Rosa Parks got coverage in mainstream history; yet many go without mention. Black civil rights has a rich history. The struggle was well documented, as was the rise out of it. Various men have received their accolades as helping the movement. From Martin Luther King, Jr. to Malcolm X to Huey P. Newton, it is hard to argue that there is none more important, nor do I attempt to say otherwise. Martin Luther King is arguably the most iconic man of the struggle. His I have a dream speech will forever be inspirational, recognised & hailed. Kings ideology of nonviolent methods were not easy to implement, in the face of much brutality, but implemented they were. Martin Luther King would, however, not be the man he was without his inspirational wife, Coretta Scott King. Mrs. Scott King has not been completely ignored in the modern world. In Jayceon Taylor, better known as Game, hit Letter to the King there were constant references to the inspiring Scott King. Sometime I wanna give up or at least take a break. Thats when I close my eyes and see Coretta Scotts face. Jayceon Taylor Letter To The King, 2008 Hip-hop has always acknowledged the struggle of the black race, seldom paid homage to Coretta Scott. Her story is motivating, encouraging, heart-warming and somewhat restores some faith in mankind. Corettas story starts in 1927, in a small town in Marion, Alabama. Neither poor, nor wealthy the Scotts worked on a small farm with enough money coming in to keep them afloat. Her parents were, forever, insistent their children were educated. Her mother was so determined, she started taking the children, as well as other black students from around, to the nearest black-school (segregation in those times meant long-travel for black-students) which was 14km away. Coretta Scott graduated in 1945. Creative in nature, it was no surprise she excelled with arts & music, playing the trumpet, piano, being part of the choir amongst participations within school musicals. It was when she joined college her political interests were conceived. Having grown up around segregation, oppression and racism Coretta Scott joined the NAACP. It was after Scott King left college and won a scholarship to a music school in Boston that she met, future husband, Martin Luther King Jr. MLKs contribution to the civil rights cause is well documented, Coretta stood by his actions from the day they got married (June 18th 1953) to the day he died (April 4th 1968). Corettas individual actions, which have been hidden from mainstream history, came after her husbands death.

Coretta took over the head lead in the Civil Rights Movement in 1968 reluctantly, her choice in whom it should be declined to do so. We the women must lead the way and adopt non-violence as a way of life. We must teach our children the non-violent way, so as to stop the chain of violence which is spiralling in our society. Coretta Scott King, Solidarity Day 1968 Her speech, delivered after she had announced leadership of the movement has been commended for her passion to push through womens rights along with the on-going civil rights struggle. In the same year she was responsible for establishing the most important memorial to her late husband, The Martin Luther King, Jr. Centre for Nonviolent Social Change. This centre lies in the Kings home town and is integrated with the Baptist Church where both Martin Luther King & his father delivered their sermons. Coretta Scott King was a big advocate of the rights of the homosexual community, standing against homophobia and anti- gay laws. She created a division in the black-community for this stance; however she continued to push the cause as her husband would. As he had demanded rights and equality all, her cause was not without basis. With South African apartheid still about in her day, Coretta pushed for action from Washington D.C. Taking part in several rallies, which were welcomed and continued globally. She proceeded to make a visit to South Africa and council with Winnie Mandela while her husband, Nelson Mandela, was still being imprisoned. She would continue to lobby the case for US intervention in South Africa. Coretta Scott King lived a wonderful, hard fought and inspirational long life. Even at the age of 77, Mrs Scott King would never stop spreading the message her husband and done so well to do. She died January 30th 2006. 14,000 people attended her funeral, including former presidents, future presidents (Barack Obama) and other government associates. Her efforts were never gone unappreciated by everyone, and they never will be. The best tribute Coretta could have asked for was established in 2007. The Coretta Scott King Young Womens Leadership Academy is an all- girls academy in the Kings hometown of Atlanta, Georgia with the simple, yet effective, motto of, to be empowered by scholarship, non-violence, and social change, my sister. Never forgotten, Coretta Scott King.