“Contempt for poverty is violence” - Coretta Scott King

Yesterday we honored the memory and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. Today I want to honor a woman who deserves a day of recognition all her own - Coretta Scott King.

She was an accomplished singer and committed activist for social justice and peace. Coretta Scott King was a force - a leader. From an early age she said, “I knew I had something to contribute to the world.”

Coretta and Martin’s activism converged. When they married, she had the command “obey” removed from the wedding vows. When pressured by family members to flee to safety with their ten-week-old baby after the King’s house was bombed, Coretta refused. During the Montgomery bus boycott she, “came to understand that I was not a breakable crystal figurine. I found I became stronger in a crisis.”

When told by men to step aside and let them lead after her husband’s assassination - Coretta refused. She declared, “I am not a ceremonial symbol, I am an activist.”

Prints of this portrait are available here. Ten percent of proceeds are donated to Women With a Vision, a New Orleans social justice non-profit created by and for women of color.