Coretta Scott King

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Today we honor the legacy and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who was a fighter for social and racial justice. As part of his legacy, the reason this holiday is even a possibility, and in celebration of #matriarchmonday we honor a significant part of Dr. King's life, his partner Coretta Scott King.

Mrs. King was a civil rights leader in her own right, advocating for racial equality, women's rights, LGTBQ rights and voiced opposition to apartheid. Mrs. King was also a talented singer and a published author. As the mother of four children Coretta Scott King carried her husband's mission forward after his assasination and became an important voice in the activist movement. She was a prominent presence in politics and stayed vocal for the rights of many communities. She founded The King Center in 1968 dedicated to the advancement of the legacy and ideas of Martin Luther King Jr.

We honor the Kings today and everyday as we all work to honor the fullness of their legacies. “I am convinced that if we are to get on the right side of the world revolution, we as a nation must undergo a radical revolution of values. We must rapidly begin...we must rapidly begin the shift from a thing-oriented society to a person-oriented society.” - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Photo by Dan Budnik

Photo via AP Photo