Coretta Scott King and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. MLK and Coretta Scott King are undoubtedly the most well-known figures in the Civil Rights Movement. They dedicated their lives to human rights advocacy and action. Married in 1953, they had four children who left active legacies of their own. While Dr. King took the lead, Coretta made it apparent that she was more than a wife; she was a partner and worked with her husband at every turn. Even after his killing, Coretta exhibited the power of love by establishing a national holiday in his honor, constructing the Martin Luther King Center in Atlanta, and fighting for universal human rights until her death in 2006.
Martin and Coretta King
Betty Shabazz and Malcolm X Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz were committed to raising the political awareness of African Americans by whatever means necessary as the Nation’s most conspicuous proponents of Black Nationalism. Malcolm X was an important symbol of the Nation of Islam even before he married Betty in 1958. He posed a challenge to the mainstream civil rights movement and Martin Luther King, Jr.’s peaceful goal of integration. By 1960, the Nation of Islam had grown from 400 members to 40,000 members, thanks mainly to his efforts. In 1964, Malcolm publicly quit the Nation and traveled to Mecca, where he was incredibly impressed. Upon his return, he created the Organization of Afro-American Unity, a pro-Black identity organization. Malcolm X was slain before his pregnant wife, Betty, and their four children. This was while speaking at a rally in New York City on February 21, 1965, one week after his home was firebombed. Betty raised six children on her own after Malcolm’s death, earned a Ph.D. in education, continued to promote his memory by publishing his speeches, writings, and likeness, and had a successful career at Medgar Evers College. Some Black couples have become iconic symbols of love, family, and Black power in our present-day pop culture. As we look to the past for guidance, we celebrate these present couples leading in the 21st century. They prove to the world that love can still be pure, genuine, and long-lasting. Here are our top three:
Betty Shabazz and Malcolm X
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