Coates, Dorothy Love

Coates, Dorothy Love (January 30, 1928, Birmingham, AL; April 9, 2002, Birmingham, AL) A compelling, energetic performer, Dorothy Love Coates is also remembered today as one of the first gospel artists to become actively involved in the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s. Born Dorothy McGriff, She was a childhood friend of Alex Bradford. She joined several regional gospel groups while still a teenager and married Willie Love of the Fairfield Four at age sixteen. After recovering from a serious…