Summary
IN MEMORIAM - Biography
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Extract
Coretta Scott King and the struggle for civil and human rights: an enduring legacy.
The legacy of Coretta Scott King (1927-2006) has begun to engage the interest of historians who seek to place her long and productive life in its proper historical context. The woman whom some saw as aloof and impenetrable was clearly more complex than many assumed. To those closest to her, Coretta Scott King was intelligent, gracious, and committed. Anyone who had seen her in person would have agreed that she was physically beautiful, striking in her poise and quiet demeanor. To be sure, Coretta Scott King carried a tremendous load, especially in more recent years as she came under greater scrutiny and attack from those who felt that the Martin Luther King, Jr., Center for Nonviolent Social Change, which she founded, had lost its sense of direction. The issues involving the King estate, including the disposition of Dr. King's personal papers, would further complicate matters.
For historians of African American women's history, Coretta Scott King's life seems representative, yet truly exceptional. On the one hand, she resembled her 19th--and early 20th-century foremothers who dedicated themselves to social uplift. Their "politics of respectability" stemmed from historical experiences under segregation that left them guardedly cautious and self-protective. (1) Particularly in public life, African American women veiled themselves from possible verbal and physical assault, making it difficult to penetrate their innermost and true selves. On the other hand, Coretta Scott King led an extraordinary public life that would set her apart from most black women. She was an historical actor in her own right and an eyewitness to some of the major events of the 20th century. The intent of this essay is to examine three phases in the life of Coretta Scott King in order to begin to understand better who she was and her role in the larger struggle for human ...See the full content of this document
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