Dexter Scott King, Son of Civil Rights Icon Martin Luther King Jr., Dies at 62
Background and Biography
Dexter Scott King, the younger son of the legendary civil rights leader Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, passed away on Monday at the age of 62. He had been battling prostate cancer.
Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Dexter King served as the chairman of the King Center, a prominent institution dedicated to preserving the legacy of his father. The center announced that he peacefully passed away at his home in Malibu, California. His wife, Leah Weber King, confirmed the news, stating that he died in his sleep.
Dexter King was the third of the four children of Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King. He was named after the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, where his father preached and became a prominent figure during the Montgomery bus boycott in 1955.
A Life Shaped by Tragedy
At the tender age of 7, Dexter King experienced the tragic loss of his father, who was assassinated in April 1968 while supporting striking sanitation workers in Memphis, Tennessee. Reflecting on this profound loss in his 2004 memoir, “Growing Up King,” Dexter King described how it marked the end of his carefree childhood.
As he grew older, Dexter King pursued a career in law and dedicated himself to preserving his father’s legacy and protecting the King family’s intellectual property. He served as the chairman of the King Center and also held the position of president of the King estate.
Resemblance and Portrayal
Dexter King was known not only for his dedication to his father’s work but also for his striking resemblance to Martin Luther King Jr. This resemblance was so uncanny that he ended up portraying his famous father in a 2002 TV movie about Rosa Parks, the civil rights activist.
Tragedy struck the King family once again in 2006 when Coretta Scott King, Dexter’s mother, passed away. Yolanda King, the oldest of the King children, followed in 2007.
Heartbreak and Devastation
The Rev. Bernice A. King, the youngest of the four siblings, expressed her deep sorrow in a statement, saying, “Words cannot express the heartbreak I feel from losing another sibling.”
Martin Luther King III, Dexter’s older brother, shared his devastation, stating, “The sudden shock is devastating. It is hard to have the right words at a moment like this. We ask for your prayers at this time for the entire King family.”
The passing of Dexter Scott King marks yet another loss in the powerful and influential King family. As the son of Martin Luther King Jr., Dexter dedicated his life to carrying on his father’s legacy and advocating for civil rights. His contributions will forever be remembered and cherished.
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