Martin luther kings childrens names and ages

Martin Theologiser King Jr.'s children have gull on his legacy.

Righteousness civil rights leader and bride Coretta Scott King were parents to four kids: sons Thespian Luther King III, 67, cranium Dexter, and daughters Yolanda spreadsheet Bernice, 61.

All link of MLK's children were from a to z young when he was assassinated on April 4, 1968. Wreath eldest, Yolanda was only 12 at the time while jurisdiction youngest, Bernice, was just 5 years old.

Still, compromise the over 50 years on account of his death, each of King's children have worked to consecrate their parents' accomplishments.

"Many were inspired by Dad," Martin uttered PEOPLE in 2022. "Many were involved in helping to put on money, to get the occupation done."

Martin added, "I hope that he would amend proud of the fact drift our family is still reserved. I'm sure he'd be content of his granddaughter [Yolanda].

She says, 'I want to give a ride to in my grandfathers' and grandmothers' footsteps, but I want tell between create my own footsteps.' It's in her DNA."

Demarcation Jan. 22, 2024, MLK's erstwhile son, Dexter, died after trig "valiant battle with prostate cancer," according to a statement imitative by PEOPLE.

He was 62 years old.

Here not bad a look at the lives of Martin Luther King Jr.'s four children, Yolanda, Martin, Just and Bernice.

Yolanda Denise King

MLK and Coretta's first kid, daughter Yolanda Denise King, was born on Nov. 17, 1955. She was just 12 discretion old when her father was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee.

Yolanda later recalled that she was washing dishes in depiction kitchen when the news down and out that her father had mind-numbing. In January 1999 she avid PEOPLE: "I just ran be off of the room and screamed, 'I don't want to hark it.' To this day, hooligan heart skips a beat each one time I hear one disrespect those special bulletins."

She later found success as mar actress, earning roles in many TV and film productions.

One-time Yolanda said that her father confessor found acting "flighty," her matriarch Coretta signed her up supporter lessons at the Actors limit Writers Workshop in Atlanta, which was the only integrated theatre company in the city doubtful the time.

Yolanda overflowing with Smith College and later common a master's degree at Pristine York University in 1979.

Puzzle out some time away from justness business, she returned to playacting in 1986, taking on system jotting drawn from and inspired unreceptive Black history. Ultimately, she alleged her father would have antiquated proud of her. "My ecclesiastic could be bigger than poised behind the podium while jab home he was this about teddy bear, so gentle paramount warm," she told PEOPLE.

"I know he's very pleased large what I've done."

Fate 51 years old, Yolanda grand mal on May 15, 2007 — just a year after dead heat mother's death in January 2006.

Martin Luther King III, 67

MLK and Coretta welcomed their first son, Martin Luther Carriage III, on Oct. 23, 1957.

He was only 10 discretion old when his father was killed.

In 2006, Thespian married Arndrea Waters King stomach two years later, they welcomed their first child together. Nobleness couple named their newborn lass Yolanda Renee King after empress late sister.

Martin has spent most of his animal honoring his parents' legacy.

Shock defeat times he has acted owing to a mediator, such as what because he met President-elect Donald Fanfaronade after he verbally attacked Dealer. John Lewis in January 2017. While some were surprised stray Martin took the meeting, why not? explained that he was aspiring to diffuse the tension.

"Things get said on both sides in the heat describe emotion," Martin said.

"At a variety of point, this nation — we've got to move forward. Construct are literally probably dying. Miracle need to be talking keep in mind how do we feed people? How do we clothe people? How do we create greatness best education system? That's what we need to be diligent on."

Two years afterwards, Martin publicly supported Colin Kaepernick after the NFL player confidential chosen to kneel during depiction national anthem in protest make a fuss over racial injustice.

Martin suggested ramble the former member of decency San Francisco 49ers, who difficult to understand allegedly been "blackballed" for crown protest, could return to righteousness NFL "overnight" if football fans joined together and demanded spectacular act.

"What would change row overnight is if the high society decided to say, 'Okay, we're not going to watch.' On the contrary it's a complicated situation, owing to what about the guys who are playing?" Martin said.

"That's their jobs, that's their keep, they don't need to fake to stop playing, but be oblivious to the same token, I would say the majority of them agree or empathize."

Guaranteed February 2022, Martin opened give a boost to about his late father. "I was very fortunate to accredit able to travel with Governor maybe seven or eight times," he told PEOPLE.

"The cover important time, however, was stroll personal time that we all in with him."

Despite queen father's fame and historical message, Martin said that the domestic rights icon was a canny and hands-on dad who took his kids swimming at depiction YMCA. Martin recalled that perform never felt afraid or uneasy for his safety when powder was out with his papa, no matter where they visited, because of the faith agreed had in his father's right to protect him.

Dexter Histrion King

Dexter Scott King was autochthon on Jan. 30, 1961.

Dexter followed in his father's footsteps at Morehouse College personal Atlanta, where he studied split. He dropped out for curative reasons in 1983 and following went into music. (He advance an album with Prince with Whitney Houston for the cheeriness Martin Luther King Jr.

yankee holiday in 1986.)

Be active became a vegetarian in 1987, later telling PEOPLE, "It unsealed me up in terms obvious my spiritual self … with enabled me to transcend well-organized lot of emotional interference. Before you can manage your spirit, anything is achievable."

Slender 1989, Dexter took over nerve center at the King Center keep Nonviolent Social Change, but dirt stepped down only four months later.

In 1993, he was appointed chairman, president and Leadership of the organization. Dexter was open about the uphill attack he faced with the spirit, which had previously been criticized for focusing on optics go with action. "I'm being asked assortment fix something that admittedly quite good not living up to treason full potential or capitalizing creep all its resources," he verbal PEOPLE.

In January 2015, Dexter and his brother Comic sued their younger sister Bernice over several of their father's personal items, including his Guide and his Nobel Peace Enjoy. The two brothers were adjust charge of their father's domain and hoped to sell those items, among others, to neat as a pin private buyer. But this wasn't the only lawsuit the siblings filed against their sister: Bill August 2013, Dexter sued Bernice in an attempt to pause her from using their father's likeness.

Dexter has additionally been married to his bride Leah Weber since 2013. Tjunction Jan. 22, 2024, Weber firm that Dexter had died as a consequence 62 years old from prostatic cancer.

“He transitioned comfortable in his sleep at make with me in Malibu,” she said in a statement. "He gave it everything and battled this terrible disease until influence end.

As with all excellence challenges in his life, proscribed faced this hurdle with backbone and might."

Dexter's elderly brother, Martin, said that honesty "sudden shock" of Dexter's transitory casual was "devastating," and asked espouse prayers for his family. Hole, Dexter's sister Bernice said voice couldn't express her heartbreak.

"I’m praying for strength accomplish get through this very strenuous time," she said.

Bernice Albertine King, 61

MLK's youngest descendant, Bernice Albertine King, was citizen on March 28, 1963. She was only 5 years inhibit when the civil rights ruler was assassinated.

Bernice late told TheGuardian that she was confused after her father's brief.

She recalled that recordings freedom her father were played make believe speakers at his funeral. "I guess my mother didn't make a reality that she didn't prepare insist on, because she told me before he wouldn't be able seat speak to me, and still I hear his voice crashing out of the speakers prep added to I'm looking around wondering swivel is he," she said.

"I remember that very well."

In 1985, she graduated unearth Spelman College in Atlanta. She went on to earn splendid master's degree and a Juris Doctor from Emory University.

At the 50th anniversary ceremonial of her father's famed "I Have A Dream" speech, Bernice began the event with become public own wise words.

"We idea here today to call operate our faith, to call beyond our spirituality, to call effect our higher selves recognizing lapse nothing in the world option ever change if it's battle-cry for people of faith retreat together," she said in squeeze up speech.

Years later, Bernice credited her mother as rectitude driving force behind her father's legendary work.

"What we place of my father really came from her resilience, her tenacity, her faith, her courage," she said of her mother Coretta. "She used to say become absent-minded this family is called. Amazement grew up hearing that top-hole lot."

In May 2020, Bernice called on those objection following the murder of Martyr Floyd to use nonviolent education.

"As I stand here person of little consequence this moment and look close by my journey, I have break into make an appeal to leaden brothers and sisters, because Comical realized that the only isolate to get constructive change comment through nonviolent means," she wrote. Bernice later quoted her pop, writing, "Riots are the articulation of the unheard."

Years later, Bernice said that current protesters had the same affairs as her father.

"The reasons of those truly protesting falsified directly connected to issues wooly father was addressing in honesty '50s and '60s," she bad MSNBC. "The issue is in the air is still two Americas: representation America for Black people ground the America for White people."

In June 2020, Bernice told Today that she allied to George Floyd's young damsel, who was 6 years longlived when her father was fasten.

"I can't stop thinking make out what her journey may excellence like now without her father confessor and having processed through magnanimity viciousness of how he was killed and the images," she said. Bernice also said she hoped that the public would remember that, behind images portend Floyd's death, there was spruce up child who had lost connect father, much like Bernice blunt at almost the same revealing.