Celebrating Black History Month:

Coretta Scott King Name:

Coretta Scott King

Life April 27, 1927 – January 30, 2006

Birthplace

Heiberger, Alabama

Known For: •  Wife of martin Luther king jr.

•  Civil rights activist

Early Life Coretta Scott was born on April 27, 1927. She was born on a farm in Alabama. The world was very different back then. In Alabama, and much of the South, African Americans had different laws than white people. Early in her life, Coretta had to live with unfair laws because she was African American. Coretta walked five miles to a tiny school that had just one room. White students did not have to walk. They rode buses to a large school. Coretta rose above these struggles. She did not let her problems hold her back. She just worked as hard as she could. She did very well in elementary school. She then went to Lincoln High School and did very well again. In 1945, she finished high school at the top of her class. Because of her good grades, she was given money to study at Antioch College in Ohio. While at college, she became interested in civil rights, or the fight for African American people and white people to be treated alike. She joined a group that tried to help African Americans get the same rights as white people.

Coretta finished at Antioch College. She then won money to study at a college in Boston. In Boston, Coretta met Martin Luther King Jr. The two were soon married. In September of 1954, Dr. King got a job at a church in Alabama. Coretta returned with him to her home state. Making a Difference In Alabama, the couple became more involved in the fight for civil rights. White people and African Americans were still not treated equally. They sometimes had to follow different laws. One unfair law stated that African American bus passengers had to sit at the back of the bus. It also stated that they had to give their seats to white bus passengers. One African American woman named Rosa Parks refused to give her seat to a white bus passenger. She got in a lot of trouble. African Americans in Alabama became angry with the unfair laws. They joined together and stopped using the buses. Coretta and her husband both stood up for Rosa Parks. They asked African Americans and white people not to follow the laws that were unfair to African Americans. Keeping Up the Fight Even after Dr. King passed away, Coretta continued to fight for civil rights for African Americans. She also stood up for others who were not treated equally. She wanted everyone to have the same opportunities in life. Coretta started a group to honor her husband’s lifelong work. In 1969, Coretta wrote a book that described her and her husband’s life. She fought to make her husband’s birthday, January 15, a holiday in the United States. In 1986, she won this fight. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is now celebrated every year. People also still celebrate Coretta’s life and her hard work to help African Americans. She is one of the reasons that people today are treated more fairly.

Use the reading passage to answer the following questions. Be sure to go back in the text to prove your answers. 1)   Which sentence from the passage shows that Coretta did not allow the

difficulties in her early life to stop her from achieving her goal?

a) “Coretta Scott was born on April 27 1927.” b) “While at college, she became interested in civil rights” c) “People also still celebrate Coretta’s life and her hard work to help African Americans” d) “She did not let her problems hold her back.” 2) What caused Coretta to move back to Alabama? a) Coretta got a job at a church in Alabama b) She married Martin Luther King Jr. c) Coretta went to college. d)   Coretta joined a group that tried to help African Americans get the same

rights as white people.

3) Why do we celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day every year? Be sure to use two details from the text to support your response.

4) Refer to the following sentences in paragraph 4: “One unfair law stated that African American bus passengers had to sit at the back of the bus. It also stated that they had to give their seats to white bus passengers.” How did Coretta influence the removal of this law? Use two details from the text to support your response.

5) Why was life very dangerous for Coretta at times? Use two details from the text to support your response.