Honoring the Life and Accomplishments of Mrs. Coretta Scott King

HONORING THE LIFE AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF MRS. CORETTA SCOTT KING -- (House of Representatives - February 01, 2006)

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Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. I rise today in honor of the late Coretta Scott King, an extraordinary civil rights leader, who passed away on January 30th. Throughout her life, Mrs. King worked tirelessly for the struggle of non-violent activism, social justice and peace.

Coretta Scott King was born and raised in Marion, Alabama, where she graduated as valedictorian from Lincoln High School. She received a B.A. in Music and Education from Anitoch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio, before going on to study at Boston's New England Conservatory of Music. While there, she met a theology student from Atlanta, Martin Luther King, Jr., who was then studying for his doctorate at Boston University.

Before her marriage to Dr. King, Mrs. King was active in the civil rights and non-violent social change movement. As an equal partner to the young Dr. King during the turbulent times their family and the civil rights movement faced, Mrs. King organized sit-ins and protest marches; spoke at church, civic, and peace group gatherings; and performed at more than 30 successful ``Freedom Concerts'' to raise awareness of civil rights and garner support for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. While serving on the front lines of the fight for equal rights, Mrs. King also raised their four children: Yolanda Denise, Martin Luther III, Dexter Scott and Bernice Albertine.

During Dr. King's life and after his death, Mrs. King was integral to the struggle for equality and justice. Just four days after her husband's assassination in 1968, in an unmistakable display of determination and perseverance, Mrs. King took his place and led a march of 50,000 people through the streets of Memphis, Tennessee. A woman of wisdom, compassion and vision, she helped to preserve her husband's legacy and played a key role in making Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day a national holiday. She also worked hard to establish and make The King Center a reality. As the work of The King Center continues, local, national and international programs have trained tens of thousands of people in Dr. King's philosophy of non-violent social change.

It is with great sadness that I send my deepest condolences to the King family. Mrs. King's lasting contributions to freedom and equality will always be remembered. Let us honor Mrs. King's memory by committing ourselves to promoting civil rights and peace.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in paying tribute to the life of Mrs. Coretta Scott King.

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