Always seen as the supportive wife who stood by the late civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Coretta Scott King was a force in her own right. An activist and eloquent speaker, King carried on her husband’s legacy decades after his death. Through her work, she was named the “First Lady of the Civil Rights Movement.” King remained a champion for equal rights until her passing in 2006.
After King’s assassination in 1968, Coretta became a passionate civil rights activist, advocating for all — from the LGBTQ to poverty-stricken communities. Despite life’s obstacles, she always persevered with great strength and courage. The King matriarch worked hard to continue King’s mission, founding the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change in Atlanta, GA. She also served as president of the center, which promotes social justice and fosters education.
During King’s lifetime, she also organized the Women’s Strike for Peace, was active in countless organizations, and wrote numerous memoirs.
Her lifelong dedication to peaceful activism and her powerful words continue to be an inspiration to many. We remember the iconic Coretta through some of her most memorable quotes.
Coretta Scott King Quotes on Forgiveness and Freedom
“Hate is too great a burden to bear. It injures the hater more than it injures the hated.”
“Revenge and retaliation always perpetuate the cycle of anger, fear, and violence.”
“My story is a freedom song of struggle. It is about finding one’s purpose, how to overcome fear, and to stand up for causes bigger than one’s self.”
– Coretta Scott King’s “My Life, My Love, My Legacy“
“Freedom and justice cannot be parceled out in pieces to suit political convenience. I don’t believe you can stand for freedom for one group of people and deny it to others.”
Her Quotes on Homophobia and Lesbian and Gay Rights
“Homophobia is like racism and anti-Semitism, and other forms of bigotry in that it seeks to dehumanize a large group of people, to deny their humanity, their dignity, and personhood.”
“Lesbian and gay people are a permanent part of the American workforce, who currently have no protection from the arbitrary abuse of their rights on the job. For too long, our nation has tolerated the insidious against this group of Americans, who have worked as hard as any group, paid their taxes like everyone else, and yet have been denied equal protection under the law.”
“We have to launch a national campaign against homophobia in the Black community.”
“Gays and lesbians stood up for civil rights in Montgomery, Selma, in Albany, Georgia, and St. Augustine, Florida, and many other campaigns of the Civil Rights Movement. Many of these courageous men and women were fighting for my freedom at a time when they could find few voices for their own, and I salute their contributions.”
“I appeal to everyone who believes in Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream to make room at the table of brother— and sisterhood for lesbian and gay people.”
Coretta Scott King Quotes About the Power of Women
“The woman power of this nation can be the power which makes us whole and heals the rotten community, now so shattered by war and poverty and racism. I have great faith in the power of women who will dedicate themselves wholeheartedly to the task of remaking our society.”
“Women, if the soul of this nation is to be saved, I believe that you must become its soul.”
Coretta Scott King Quotes on Compassion and Community
“The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate acts of its members.”
“It doesn’t matter how strong your opinions are. If you don’t use your power for positive change, you are, indeed, part of the problem.”
King was a woman with many profound thoughts. Her words and her work have inspired generations of individuals to make a change. She will forever be an icon.
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