Taken around 1963, this picture was one of several taken to be used for the cover brochure of “The Freedom Concerts”. A graduate of Boston’s New England Conservatory, Mrs. King was a professionally trained in music. The Freedom Concerts portrayed a history of the civil rights movement, portraying the struggle from the era of slavery up until 1963, when the performances occurred. Concerts were performed throughout the United States with the proceeds donated to the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). The concerts included stories, hymns, song, and verse.
Joseph Reshower de Casseres was trained in New York City at the Clarence White School of Photography. He worked as an advertising photographer in New York until moving to Atlanta in the early 1960’s. In addition to teaching at Georgia Tech, de Casseres photographed extensively for the arts in Atlanta, including Dance, The Atlanta Symphony and Opera, and the Visual Arts. One of de Casseres photographs of Robert Shaw conducting the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra is included in the National Endowment of the Arts 50 Year Anniversary Publication.
“Scott King was often seen beside her husband during freedom marches, traveling abroad and giving speeches. Though she had essentially retired from her music career, she conceived of and performed in the Freedom Concerts, which combined the poetry, stories and music of the civil rights movement. “
ABC News
"Coretta King put her musical training to use throughout the black freedom struggle, participating in "freedom concerts," which included poetry recitation, singing, and lectures related to the history of the civil rights movement. The proceeds from these concerts were donated to the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)."
Stanford University, King Encyclopedia
