What Every Woman Should Know is a bi-weekly series on American Women’s History at The New Agenda. This article has been cross-posted.
“There are a lot of people who would love to relegate me to a symbolic figure and that’s it. I have never been just a symbol of anything. I am a thinker. I have strong beliefs, and I try to be an example of what I believe in.”
– Coretta Scott King, 1993
Coretta Scott King’s place in history may be forever shadowed by her great husband, Martin Luther King, Jr., whose life’s work we celebrate today. But her life’s work is every bit as important, and in some surprising ways made his work possible. Today, as we recognize the impact Dr. King’s work has had on our country, it is also worth looking at her life to see her contribution, both to his work as he lived and to his legacy after he died, as well as to her work for social justice. Not many people are aware that Coretta Scott King was also a visionary when it came to Civil Rights, and unsuccessfully fought to expand the movement to include women’s and gay/lesbian rights. A little known fact is that she also tried to tap Josephine Baker to head this expanded movement. Perhaps, considering her long list of accomplishments, we should petition Congress to make the third Monday in January Martin Luther and Coretta Scott King Day.
