Dexter Scott King, the youngest son of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., has died at the age of 62 after battling prostate cancer, as announced by the King Center in Atlanta.
His wife, Leah Weber King, stated, “He transitioned peacefully in his sleep at home with me in Malibu.”
Dexter King was an activist and held significant roles as chairman of the King Center and president of the King Estate.
Born in Atlanta in 1961 to civil rights leaders Dr. King and Coretta Scott King, Dexter was named after Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, where his father served as a pastor.
He was seven years old when Dr. King was assassinated.
Martin Luther King III expressed deep sadness at the loss of his brother, stating, “The sudden shock is devastating…Please keep the entire King family in your prayers, and in particular Dexter’s wife, Leah Weber.”
Dexter’s sister, Rev Bernice King, conveyed the heartbreak of losing another sibling, as their sister Yolanda King passed away in 2007, a year after their mother.
Dexter King, a Morehouse College graduate like his father, pursued a legal career and played a crucial role in safeguarding the King family’s intellectual property.
Known for his uncanny resemblance to his father, he portrayed Dr. King in the 2002 movie “The Rosa Parks Story.”
The King Center highlighted Dexter’s lifelong dedication to perpetuating his father’s legacy, emphasizing his significant contributions in preserving civil rights history.
In response to the news, civil rights leader Rev Al Sharpton offered condolences to the family, stating, “May he RIP, may his legacy live.”
Source-BBC
