A hat is a crown. For generations, Black women have adorned their heads with crowns, showing their identities and status within their families and communities. A hat is not just an accessory– it also tells a story.

The women of the King family–Alberta Williams King, Christine King Farris, Coretta Scott King, and Naomi Barber King– adorned themselves in crowns. Their hats, each with its own story, reflect the King family women as people of faith and resilience. Following the longstanding Black church tradition, the King women wore hats on Sundays and special occasions such as marches, ceremonies, and more.

Learn more about the women of the King family and the hats they wore through our special exhibit, King Family Women Hat Exhibit inside of the Gatheround Exhibit at Atlanta History Center. It features 17 hats worn by the women of the King family, including:

• Alberta Williams King (Martin Luther King Jr.’s mother, wife of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Sr.)
• Christine King Farris (Martin Luther King Jr.’s only sister)
• Coretta Scott King (Martin Luther King Jr.’s wife)
• Naomi Barber King (Martin Luther King Jr.’s only sister-in-law, wife of his brother Rev. Alfred Daniel (A.D.) Williams King.