Dexter King, Son of Martin Luther King Jr., Passes Away at 62
Dexter Scott King, the son of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, died on Monday after a battle with prostate cancer. The 62-year-old passed away peacefully in his sleep at his home in Malibu, California, according to a statement from his wife, Leah Weber King. Dexter King was the chairman of the King Center in Atlanta, which announced his passing.
A Legacy of Activism
Dexter King, named after the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, where his father served as a pastor during the Montgomery bus boycott, was deeply involved in preserving and promoting his father’s legacy. As an adult, he became an attorney and focused on protecting the King family’s intellectual property. He served as chairman of the King Center and was also president of the King estate.
A Tragic Loss
Dexter King was just 7 years old when his father was assassinated in 1968. In his memoir, “Growing Up King,” he reflected on the impact of his father’s death, saying it marked the end of his carefree childhood. He described the challenges of maintaining a formal and serious demeanor in the face of the tragedy and the weight of his father’s legacy.
A Striking Resemblance
In addition to his work with the King Center, Dexter King was known for his striking resemblance to his father. He even portrayed Martin Luther King Jr. in a 2002 TV movie about Rosa Parks. His passing comes after the deaths of his mother, Coretta Scott King, in 2006, and his sister, Yolanda King, in 2007.
“Words cannot express the heartbreak I feel from losing another sibling,” said the Rev. Bernice A. King, the youngest of the four siblings. Martin Luther King III, Dexter’s older brother, expressed his devastation and asked for prayers for the entire King family during this difficult time.