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Coretta Scott King Facts & Worksheets

Coretta Scott King was an African-American woman, author, activist, and civil rights leader.

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Coretta Scott King lived to become a successful and influential African-American woman, author, activist, and civil rights leader. As the wife of Martin Luther King Jr., Coretta continued her husband’s legacy even after his death. During the 1960s, Coretta devoted herself as an advocate for African-American equality as a civil rights movement leader. She also used her prowess in singing by incorporating music into her advocacy. 

See the fact file below for more information on Coretta Scott King, or alternatively, you can download our 24-page Coretta Scott King worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

EARLY LIFE AND FAMILY

  • Coretta Scott King was born Coretta Scott on April 27, 1927, in Marion, Alabama, United States.
  • Coretta was the third of four children of Obadiah Scott, a police officer-turned-businessman, and Bernice McMurry Scott, a woman with musical talents.
  • Her paternal great-grandmother, Delia Scott, lived with her parents.
  • Delia was a former slave and presided as a midwife during Coretta’s birth.
  • Bernice, Coretta’s mother, excelled in music, particularly singing. 
  • Bernice worked as a bus driver and a church pianist and helped with her husband’s business.
  • Obadiah, Coretta’s father, was one of the first Black men to own a vehicle in their town.
  • Their family’s business was a clothing shop. They also opened a general store. 
  • During the Great Depression (1929 – 1939), Coretta worked as a cotton picker to help with her family’s expenses; she was ten years old.
  • Coretta’s parents put a premium on their children’s education.
  • Coretta had two older sisters and a younger brother.
    • Edythe Scott Bagley (1924 – 2011)
    • Eunice, who did not survive childhood
    • Obadiah Leonard (1930 – 2012)
  • Coretta possessed boyish qualities as a child and described herself as a tomboy. 
  • As a child, she was fond of climbing trees and arm-wrestling with her male cousins. 

EDUCATION

  • Coretta, along with her siblings, attended a one-room elementary school. They then transferred to Lincoln Normal School, which was 9 miles away from their home.
  • It was the closest black school in Marion, Alabama, and their mother, Bernice was the school bus driver.
  • Coretta was the lead soprano in the Lincoln Normal School’s choir. 
  • In 1945, she graduated from the Lincoln Normal School as a valedictorian.
  • After graduating, she matriculated at Antioch College located in Yellow Springs, Ohio. 
  • She applied for an interracial scholarship fund after being accepted at Antioch.
  • Coretta took music at Antioch and studied with Walter Anderson, the first non-white academic chairman of a school that was historically white.
  • Not only did Coretta study music in Antioch, but she also became politically active, motivated by her own experiences of racial discrimination by the local school board.
  • When Coretta won a scholarship to the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, she immediately left Antioch.

MEETING MARTIN

  • In Boston, she met Martin Luther King Jr. through a mutual friend.
  • King, who would later become her husband, wrote to his mother that “he had met his wife” two weeks after meeting Coretta.
  • The couple went public with their plans to marry on Valentine’s Day 1953.
  • They tied the knot on June 18, 1953, on the lawn of her mother’s house.
  • After earning her degree in voice and piano at the New England Conservatory, Coretta relocated with King to Montgomery, Alabama, in September 1954.
  • King’s endearing nickname for Coretta was Corrie.
  • They had four children: Yolanda, Martin III, Dexter, and Bernice.
  • All their children became civil rights activists as well.

CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT

  • Coretta had to sacrifice her dreams to be a classical singer in order to devote herself to the civil rights movement.
  • Coretta’s sacrifice proved to be a symbol of the actions of African-American women during the movement.
  • Meanwhile, King became a full-time pastor on September 1. 1954. 
  • Because of King’s full-time job, Coretta had to stay home and cater to her pregnancy.
  • The couple moved near the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, where Coretta taught the choir at Sunday School.
  • Their first child, Yolanda, was born on November 17, 1955.
  • Coretta worked by King’s side throughout the 1950s and ‘60s to progress the civil rights movement.
  • She played a major role in the Montgomery bus boycott of 1955.
  • Sparked by Rosa Parks, the Montgomery bus boycott was a protest campaign against the racial segregation policy on the public transportation system of Montgomery, Alabama. 
  • On January 30, 1956, the Kings’ house was bombed but thankfully, Coretta and their daughter were unharmed.
  • Coretta and King went to Ghana in 1957 to mark the nation’s independence.
  • They also went to India in 1959, as part of a pilgrimage. 
  • In April 1962, Coretta was a delegate for the Women Strike for Peace Conference in Geneva, Switzerland.
  • In 1964, the Civil Rights Act was passed.

ASSASSINATION OF MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.

  • After a day of shopping with her daughter Yolanda, Coretta heard the heartbreaking news that her husband, King, was shot and killed in Memphis, Tennessee on April 4, 1968.
  • Even though she was in a time of mourning, Coretta continued her husband’s legacy and immediately took his place in a scheduled peace rally in New York City and a labor strike only days after his funeral.

HER LEGACY

  • By herself, Coretta went on to express her support for several causes and issues, such as social change, women’s rights, gender equality, racism issues, and world peace, among others.
  • She openly voiced contempt for the Vietnam War, for which she was consequently placed under FBI surveillance from 1968 until 1972.
  • She also went on international lectures to speak about racism and economic issues in the United States.
  • In 1969, Coretta became the first non-Italian to be awarded the Universal Love Award.
  • Also, in 1969, she published her memoir “My Life with Martin Luther King Jr.”

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

  • Throughout her life, Coretta Scott King received many awards and honorary degrees.
  • Some of the honorary degrees she received came from Princeton University, Duke University, and Bates College. 
  • In 2004, she received the Horace Mann Award from Antioch College and an Outstanding Alumni Award from the New England Conservatory of Music, her alma mater.
  • A medal named after her is awarded annually by the American Library Association to African-American children’s book writers and illustrators.
  • Coretta Scott King was awarded the first Lucretia Mott Award in 1978. 

DEATH

  • Coretta Scott King was hospitalized in April 2005 due to several health problems, particularly a heart condition.
  • On August 16, 2005, she suffered from a stroke. 
  • Coretta Scott King died on January 30, 2006, in Rosarito, Mexico.

Coretta Scott King Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Coretta Scott King across 24 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets about Coretta Scott King, who was an African-American woman, author, activist, and civil rights leader. She was the wife of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Complete list of included worksheets:

  1. Coretta Scott King Facts
  2. Coretta’s Early Life
  3. Describing King
  4. Truths About Coretta
  5. Coretta’s Life Partner
  6. Pivotal Moment
  7. Quoting Coretta
  8. In Correct Order
  9. Female Activists
  10. Stand Up For Rights
  11. Friendly Discussion

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Coretta Scott King most famous for?

Coretta Scott King is widely recognized as the beloved wife of renowned civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., yet she forged her path in fighting for justice and equality. She was committed to upholding her husband’s legacy long after his death on April 4th, 1968. Born in Marion, Alabama, on April 27th, 1927, Coretta Scott will remain a symbol of resilience and courage throughout history.

What did Coretta Scott King contribute to society?

Over four decades, King traveled around the world to spread awareness about racial and economic justice, women’s rights, gay rights, religious freedom for all faiths, aid for those without homes or jobs, and the disarmament of nuclear weapons. She passionately advocated for these causes to create a more just society where everyone is treated with dignity.

What challenges did Coretta Scott King face?

Coretta Scott King endured a slew of threats, including bombarding her home and endangering her life, because she was married to Martin Luther King Jr., the prominent leader of the Civil Rights Movement.

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