Civil Rights Activist
Before Martin's Death |
After Martin's Death |
Coretta did lots of things as a Civil Rights Activist. Before and after martin's death. She fought for Civil Rights, Women's Rights, Gay Rights, and Human Rights. Coretta worked side by side with her husband Martin. She helped with the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955. She went to Ghana in 1957 to celebrate it's independence. She also traveled to India for about a month in 1959 on a pilgrimage. Coretta helped pass the Civil Rights Act in 1964 as well. She helped with many other movements and protests too.
After the Montgomery Bus Boycott Martin received death threats. Luckily the ended up integrated the Montgomery's bus service. After that someone shot into the Kings' home, but no one was hurt. After the boycott the Kings' started to believe in non-violence protests. The Kings' trip to Ghana was symbolic. It showed a growing alliance around the world of oppressed people. They were invited by the prime minister at the time, Kwame Nkrumah. The Kings were invited to do a 5 week tour in India. They wanted to go their to visit Mahatma Gandhi. He believed in non-violence and they wanted to deepen their understanding of it. They went to India as pilgrims. In India the people there also experienced racism just like African Americans. This sparked conversation and the Kings shared their point of view on race. In 1964 Coretta and many others worked hard to pass the Civil Rights Act. The Civil Rights Act outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. |
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Martin Luther King was assassinated on April 4, 1968. The death devastated the whole family. On April 8,1968 Coretta and her kids went to a march that Martin planned before he died. She also went to New York for a peace rally that Martin was supposed to speak at. She made her own speech out of the notes that Martin left.
Without Martin no one was there to lead the Civil Rights Movement. Coretta asked Josephine Baker to lead it but she said no. She later decided to lead the Civil Rights Movement herself. As the new leader of the Civil Rights movement Coretta broadened her horizons. She included women's rights, world peace, LGBT rights, economic issues, and other causes. She then spoke again in place of her late husband in Central Park at a anti-war demonstration on April 27, 1968.During a Solidarity speech in December of 1968, Coretta said to women "unite and form a solid block of women power to fight the three great evils of racism, poverty, and war". In January of 1969 Coretta and Bernita (her sister in law) went to India. Before going there they stopped in Verona, Italy where Coretta received the Universal Love Award. Coretta had a big impact on the Civil Rights movement. Before and after her husbands death. |