Dexter Scott King, the illustrious son of the celebrated Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, succumbed to prostate cancer on Monday. The King Center in Atlanta, an institution he chaired with dedication, announced the passing of the 62-year-old scion at his residence in Malibu, California. His wife, Leah Weber King, shared the sad news, stating that he departed “peacefully in his sleep.”
Dexter King, the third among the four children of the iconic civil rights leader, carried a name that echoed the deep roots of his family’s commitment to the cause. Named after the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, where his father rose to national prominence during the Montgomery bus boycott, Dexter King’s life was intricately intertwined with the legacy of the civil rights movement.
His passing comes a few days after the commemoration of the Martin Luther King Jr Day. The Martin Luther King Jr Day is a federal holiday in the United States that takes place on the third Monday in January. It honours the life and legacy of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. Each year, the celebration takes place on the Monday closest to his birthday, which is on January 15.
When he lost his father to an assassin’s bullet at the tender age of 7 in April 1968, tragedy abruptly marked his childhood. Reflecting on that pivotal moment in his 2004 memoir, “Growing Up King,” Dexter poignantly expressed the toll it took on his youthful exuberance. “Ever since I was seven, I’ve felt I must be formal,” he wrote, underscoring the weight of maturity thrust upon him by a tragic loss.
“Formality, seriousness, certitude — all these are difficult poses to maintain, even if you’re a person with perfect equilibrium, with all the drama life throws at you,” he added, offering a glimpse into the challenges of shouldering such an iconic name.
As he matured, Dexter King took on the mantle of an attorney, dedicating himself to safeguarding his father’s legacy and the intellectual property of the King family. Beyond his role as chairman of the King Center, he also served as president of the King estate, ensuring the continued resonance of the civil rights leader’s teachings.
Dexter King’s commitment extended beyond administrative duties; he also bore a striking resemblance to his father, a feature that garnered attention when he portrayed Martin Luther King Jr. in a 2002 TV movie about Rosa Parks, highlighting the family’s enduring connection to the broader narrative of the civil rights movement.
The King family has experienced its share of heartaches in recent years, with Coretta Scott King’s passing in 2006 and the loss of Yolanda King, the eldest sibling, in 2007. Reacting to Dexter’s demise, the Rev. Bernice A. King, the youngest of the four siblings, expressed profound grief, stating, “Words cannot express the heartbreak I feel from losing another sibling.”
His older brother, Martin Luther King III, echoed the sentiment, grappling with the sudden shock and expressing the difficulty of finding the right words in such a moment. “We ask for your prayers at this time for the entire King family,” he urged, highlighting the collective pain that transcends their iconic name.
