Entertainment
Book Review- “Women Who Broke the Rules: Coretta Scott King”
Leaders come from surprising places.
The quiet girl that sits the next row over may know how to inspire people. The know-it-all in your class could own a business in the future.
The kid everybody picks on might become President. But in the new book “Women Who Broke the Rules: Coretta Scott King by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Laura Freeman, you’ll read about one woman who didn’t necessarily want to be a leader. She only wanted to sing.
Born in April 1927, Coretta Scott grew up on her family’s farm and was “a bit sheltered” as a girl; still, she was very aware that some things were unfair, which always made her angry.
Everybody in Marion, Alabama, knew Coretta was a fighter, that she had “the guts to climb up and over the Rules,” and that she had a temper, but there was one thing that calmed her: music.
Because her mother was the church pianist, Coretta was encouraged to sing solos as a very small child. She was known to rush through chores so she could spend time with her music; in high school, she was the school’s most promising singer-musician.
Later, she landed a scholarship at an Ohio college, where she studied music and education, “in case a career in singing didn’t work out.” From there, she attended the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston.
Six months after arriving in Boston, she was introduced to a man named Martin.
At first, Coretta didn’t think much of Martin Luther King, Jr. He wasn’t her type, and he was awfully outspoken.
On the other hand, he spun dreams of a wonderful future. Their dates led her to a church, to a concert, dancing, and eventually to marriage.
But being the wife of Martin Luther King, Jr. wasn’t always a happy life. Coretta worried about Martin constantly, though she was proud of him. Their work together on boycotts was making change, but there was always danger. She could do what she needed to do, though – as long as she had her music.
I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by “Women Who Broke the Rules: Coretta Scott King.”
So many biographies of King begin with her marriage to Martin, but author Kathleen Krull starts much earlier, putting an emphasis on Coretta Scott King’s lifelong love of music and her desire to have a career, despite that woman generally didn’t do that sort of thing then.
That gives the story a tone of determination and quiet inspiration, a note that gets louder as the book progresses. I especially like that Krull writes at length of King as a child, which will resonate with young readers who likely won’t have any first-hand memories of this remarkable woman.
Don’t feel guilty for enjoying this book before you give it to your 9-to-12-year-old. It’s a quick and pleasant story you’ll both like; in fact, if she needs a biography to read this spring, you can put “Women Who Broke the Rules: Coretta Scott King” in the lead.
“Women Who Broke the Rules: Coretta Scott King” by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Laura Freeman, c .2015, Bloomsbury, $16.99, 48 pages.
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of May 22 – 28, 2024
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of May May 22 – 28, 2024
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Arts and Culture
Third Annual Town Up Tuesday Lifts Oakland’s Community, Culture and Joy
Urban Peace Movement announced Town Up Tuesday, a free community music and social awareness festival dedicated to the people of Oakland to celebrate Bay Area culture and create safety by fostering connection and belonging. It will be on Tuesday, May 21, at Edoff Memorial Bandstand at Lake Merritt from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
By Kyung Jin Lee
Urban Peace Movement announced Town Up Tuesday, a free community music and social awareness festival dedicated to the people of Oakland to celebrate Bay Area culture and create safety by fostering connection and belonging.
It will be on Tuesday, May 21, at Edoff Memorial Bandstand at Lake Merritt from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The event will feature local Bay Area legends and rising stars home-grown talent that will include 10 performers: 1100 Himself, The Conscious Daughters, Michael Sneed, Trunk Boiz, 3LISE, The Animaniakz and Ms. Bria.
Too $hort is a special guest and there will also be a surprise legendary Oakland artist. The two DJs are Emelle & Dahge, and the two hosts are Dnas and Mystic.
Past performers have included: Kamaiyah, Yukmouth, Stunnaman02, Symba, Lil Kayla, Grand Nationxl, Jane Handcock, and D Smoke, among others.
“Oakland is a historically Black city and one of the most diverse and progressive in the country — a city rich with culture,” said Nicole Lee, executive director of the Urban Peace Movement.
“At a time when we are being scapegoated for political gain and negative narratives of Oakland permeate the press, we’re uplifting who we truly are and all the things that make this region so special.”
About Urban Peace Movement: Urban Peace Movement (UPM) is a racial justice organization working to end mass incarceration and the criminalization of Black and Brown communities in Oakland. https://urbanpeacemovement.org/ @urbanpeace510
Kyung Jin Lee is the media representative for the Urban Peace Movement.
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of May 15 – 21, 2024
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of May May 15 – 21, 2024
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