May 3, 2006

MINNEAPOLIS – Fortress Press will soon release Coretta: The Story of Coretta Scott King, Commemorative Edition, written by her life-long friend, Octavia Vivian.

In this first biography of Coretta Scott King, with foreword by Martin Luther King III, the reader meets a determined young girl who grew up in Alabama and worked her way through Antioch College only to discover that she was not allowed to teach in the white schools in Ohio. She pursued a musical career in Boston, where she met Martin Luther King, Jr.

First published in 1970 by Fortress Press, this commemorative edition has been thoroughly updated, includes a black and white photo gallery, and is full of warmth and human interest, telling the story of Coretta Scott King from her childhood to her death in February 2006.

"Octavia Vivian's book recounts Coretta's remarkable story from the perspective of a close friend, revealing the strength and heroism of a real person too often obscured by myth and frozen memories." – Bill Clinton, former President of the United States

"Coretta Scott King's commitment to justice and just peace was universal. We shall remember her as a great American civil rights activist and leader, but equally as one who openly and bravely opposed apartheid at a time when it was neither neither fashionable nor easy to do so. She occupies a hallowed place in the memory of freedom loving South Africans and Africans at large." – Nelson Mandela

"Coretta Scott King was a loving mother, wife, a reliable sister friend and a great American. This work will help us to know more about her resilience and her courage, and each of us can grow stronger from the knowledge." – Maya Angelou

"When Coretta Scott King passed away, the whole world mourned the loss of the keeper of Dr. King's and America's dream. A new generation of readers will be grateful for this intimate portrait of her extraordinary life." – Marian Wright Edelman

Octavia Vivian has worked extensively in the Civil Rights Movement and was a life-long friend of Coretta Scott King. Her husband, C.T. Vivian, was a former member of Dr. King's executive staff. The two families were neighbors for several years. Octavia Vivian lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

Coretta: The Story of Coretta Scott King, Item Number: 0-8006-3853-0, Specs: 160 pages, 5.5" x 8.5," paperback, Price: $10.00. Item Number: 0-8006-3855-7, Specs: 160 pages, 5.5" x 8.5," jacketed hardcover, Price: $17.00.

To order Coretta please call Augsburg Fortress at 1-800-328-4648 or visit the Web site at http://www.augsburgfortress.org/.

Augsburg Fortress