Dexter King, the third of four children of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King, passed away on Monday, Jan 22., at his residence in Malibu, California, according to reports. His death comes just a week after the nation celebrated his father’s holiday.
Calling it one of the hardest things she’d ever done, Bernice A. King reflected on her brother’s passing in a press conference via The King Center. Bernice King said her brother passed away “after a three-and-a-half-year battle with prostate cancer; he tried with everything in him to defeat it—fought to the very last minute.”
Born on January 30, 1961, Dexter was a prominent figure in his own right. His family remembered him as a creative and innovative soul, and a man of great vision and strategy.
He became an attorney and followed in the footsteps of his renowned parents. Throughout his life, he worked tirelessly to carry forth his father’s legacy of civil rights activism and social justice. As the chairman of the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, he was instrumental in promoting his father’s teachings and ensuring that his vision continued to inspire and guide future generations.
His contributions to advancing the causes of equality and justice will be remembered and cherished by many. The loss of Dexter King is deeply felt, and his enduring impact on the global community will be remembered for years to come.
Dexter King was 62 years old, dying just eight days before his 63rd birthday.
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