Despite their marriages to very prominent men, make no mistake: these women can stand their own ground. Shame on anyone who sees them merely as shadows of their husbands. Coretta Scott King and Michelle Obama are two incredible women who are leaders in their own right.
Coretta Scott King was born in the Spring of 1927 in the town of Marion, Alabama. Raised in a musically-inclined household, she excelled in music, leading her school choir, but she was also an excellent student. After receiving her bachelor’s degree from Antioch College, she was awarded a scholarship to attend the New England Conservatory of Music where she furthered her music studies.
King eventually moved to Montgomery, Alabama where she and her husband, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., fought for the civil rights of their people and led the movement. Although she criticized the exclusion of women in the movement, King did not let that hold her back. She dedicated her life to fighting for social justice and peace, making her mark as a leader of the Civil Rights Movement.
Not only did King support several women’s rights causes, she also travelled internationally to lecture about issues of racism and economic disparities. She led a number of goodwill missions to numerous countries in Africa, Latin America, Europe and Asia and spoke at some of the nation’s largest peace and justice rallies. In 1962 King served as a Women’s Strike for Peace delegate to the seventeen-nation Disarmament Conference, which took place in Geneva, Switzerland.
A woman of many firsts, she was the first woman to deliver the class day address at Harvard and the first woman to preach at a statutory service at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. In 1974 King formed a coalition of more than 100 religious, labor, business, civil and women’s rights organizations in an effort to promote a national policy of full employment as well as equal economic opportunity. Almost a decade later she formed the Coalition of Conscience, bringing together more than 800 human rights organizations and sponsoring the 20th Anniversary March on Washington.
King’s accomplishments are too high to count, and needless to say she has secured her spot as one of the most influential civil rights and women’s rights leaders of her time. Not only has she received honorary doctorates from more than 60 colleges and universities, King has also authored three books as well as a nationally-syndicated newspaper column and has served on and founded dozens of organizations.
Another fearless woman who is known for her dedication to fighting injustice as well as standing by her husband is First Lady Michelle Obama.
In 1964 on the South Side of Chicago Michelle Obama was born to Fraser and Marion Robinson. Living out of a small bungalow, she and her brother would sleep in the living room with a sheet serving as a room divider. Despite his ongoing battle with multiple sclerosis, Fraser Robinson pulled himself up with both canes in hand and worked hard to give his children a better life. Inspired by her parents to dream big, she graduated from Princeton University in 1985 then went on to receive a juris doctor degree from Harvard Law School. After acquiring her law degree, she joined the firm of Sidley Austin back in Chicago where she met Barack Obama. She held many prominent roles throughout the following years, such as associate dean of student services at the University of Chicago where she developed the school’s first community service program.
An advocate for social justice, Obama initiated the Let’s Move! program during her time as first lady. The program’s goal was to end childhood obesity by working with elected officials, business leaders, educators and parents to provide more nutritious food to schools and more opportunities for kids to be active, especially in impoverished areas. She also launched the Reach Higher Initiative, which encouraged students to continue their education beyond high school and helped them gain the education and skills in order to get better job opportunities. A published author and lawyer, Obama has dedicated her life to fighting for change.
“Each of us comes here tonight by way of our own improbable journey,” Obama said in a speech given at the 2008 Democratic National Convention. “Driven by a simple belief that … we have an obligation to fight for the world as it should be.”
