She was involved in a sibling feud that pitted her and her brother Dexter against their brother Martin Luther King III and sister Bernice King for the sale of the King Center in Atlanta, Georgia. [44] The practice of going to her father's grave on the anniversary of either his birth or assassination became an annual ritual for the King family to mourn his death. He told her that there were many whites who were not racist and wanted her to go but there were many who were and did not want her to go. Supervisor Kenneth Hahn said to King that he "sensed I was in the presence of a great man when I met your father. Born on Nov. 17, 1955, in Montgomery, Ala., King was just an infant when her home was bombed during the turbulent civil rights era. In 1958, Dr. King narrowly escaped death when he was stabbed in a bookstore in Harlem. King died late Tuesday in Santa Monica, Calif., at age 51, said Steve Klein, a spokesman for the King Center. As an actress, she appeared in numerous films and even played civil rights heroine Rosa Parks in the 1978 miniseries "King." Being the oldest, she had to watch her three younger siblings; Martin Luther King III, Dexter King and Bernice King and referred to the three as independent when she watched them whenever their mother went out of town. [89], In the fall of 1995, at age 39, she joined Ilyasah Shabazz and Reena Evers in saluting their mothers as they chaired an attempt at registering one million African-American women to vote in the presidential election of 1996. Born 1950 and died 2007. "[101] "I struggled with a lot of the legacy for a long time, probably actually into my 30s before I really made peace with it," Yolanda stated in 2005 on "Western Skies", a public radio show based in Colorado. [90] King joined the rest of her family in February 1997, in advocating a retrial for James Earl Ray, the man convicted of her father's murder, having realized that "without our direct involvement, the truth will never come out. Image Credit Birthday: November 17, 1955 ( Scorpio) Born In: Montgomery, Alabama, United States 26 15 Civil Rights Activists #23 Human Rights Activists #11 Voice Actresses #17 Quick Facts Also Known As: Yolanda Denise King Died At Age: 51 Family: father: Martin Luther King Jr. Al Sharpton , U.S.. [50] [19], King, and her brother "Marty", were enrolled in the fall semester of 1965 at Spring Street Elementary School, in Midtown Atlanta, Georgia. [81] In October, King gave support for a Cabrini-Green family that wants to escape the violence, and a fundraiser for their cause. Sharpton said Yolanda King was a "torch bearer for her parents and a committed activist in her own right. Davis said Houston heart association officials have received no specific information on the cause of King's death but added that King had a family history of heart disease and stroke. "Volunteers and staff of the American Heart Association will hold the Power of Legacy dinner on Saturday evening, which will pay special tribute to King and her legacy.''. "[70] The actual cause of her death was not determined. Yolanda King, the Rev. Yolanda King was born on November 17, 1955 in Montgomery, Alabama, USA. Speaking last January in Atlanta at Ebenezer Baptist Church where her father preached for many years Yolanda exhorted those observing the national holiday that bears his name to remember that America has not yet achieved peace and racial equality. He would be killed a scant three months later by an assassin's bullet. [121] She disliked cliches used to define her father and expressed this to Attallah Shabazz, and recalled having seen a play where her father was a "wimp" and carried The Bible with him everywhere.[122]. King died late Tuesday in Santa Monica, Calif., at age 51. Photos honoring the life of Yolanda King from Santa Monica, California - ADVERTISEMENT - Play Music Pause Music Tweet; Help | Login | Sign Up; . King died late Tuesday in Santa Monica, Calif., said Steve Klein, a spokesman for the King Center. "While Mrs. King was alive, the standards to which she would hold any potential life partner of any of her children would be so high as to be almost unmeetable," he speculates. Bernice A. Houston is in for dust and gray skies as Texas haboob arrives, Oops! [25], She kicked off Martin Luther King Jr. Day by starting a week-long celebration on January 12, 1987, and talked to students about opportunities that they had at that point which their parents and grandparents did not have. She died on May 15, 2007 in Santa Monica, California, USA. That decade saw King's acting career take off as she appeared in ten separate projects, including Ghosts of Mississippi (1996), Our Friend, Martin (1999) and Selma, Lord, Selma (1999). Ric Feld/AFP/Getty Images I dream things that never were and say why not?". She appeared in numerous films and played Rosa Parks in the 1978 miniseries King. She called for Americans to memorialize those who gave their lives for "the struggle for peace and justice. "[37] King openly stated years later that she did not hate James Earl Ray.[38]. But walking through the first part of the exhibit I felt that terror. Positive reception came to this interview, and Yolanda was even called the "leader of the 16-year-olds" for her "calmness, her concern," and "her vision". Information about the death of Yolanda King; Cause of death: Heart Attack: Age of death: 51 years: Profession: Civil Rights Leader: Birthday: November 17, 1955: Death date: March 15, 2007: Place of death: N/A: Place of burial: N/A: Quotes. In 1960, they moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where she was immersed in social upheaval. King received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, a master's degree in theater from New York University,[59] and an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Marywood University. When she replied "Your father is going to jail so that you can go to Funtown." display: none; She mentioned the possibility that the event could have been a calling for Americans to put their loyalty towards "their race, tribe and nation", as her father once said. Still Far From Living King's Dream, His Daughter Says", "LOVE WILL LIGHT WAY, KING'S DAUGHTER SAYS", "25th anniversary of death of Martin Luther King, Jr. is observed across USA", "KING'S DAUGHTER TO INTERPRET DREAM FOR DENVER", "WATTS: Show Stirs Memories for King's Daughter", "Daughter Yolanda King And Sinfonietta Honor Her Dad", "King Family Makes Appeal For Trial for James Earl Ray", "More Need To Hear Yolanda King's 'Music', "King's daughter recalls father's message", "King's 'Dream' Endures in Mix of Music, Drama", "Yolanda King, 51; actress, child of civil rights leader", "Coretta Scott King to Remain Hospitalized at Least a Week", "Relative Says Mrs. King Had Minor Stroke", "Yolanda King, daughter of Martin Luther King, Jr., dies", "Eldest daughter of Martin Luther King Jr. dies", "Yolanda King's body brought back to Atlanta", "King's Dream Of Unity Reflected In Celebrations", "King's dream still worth pursuing, daughter says", "Civil-rights leader's daughter to speak", "King's Daughter Urges Students To Get Involved", "Task Force mourns death of Yolanda King 'An unwavering voice for equality and justice', "Out & Equal Mourns the Passing of Civil Rights Leader", "Yolanda King's sudden death shocks family, friends", "After 'March', feeling hopeful about the 'Dream', In Black America; Yolanda King: Understanding The Black Struggle,, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Yolanda_King&oldid=1136984705, Felecia Hunter, in the 1978 television miniseries, Melina Nzeza as a child and Ronda Louis-Jeune as an adult, in the 2013 television movie, This page was last edited on 2 February 2023, at 04:20. Yolanda King founded and led Higher Ground Productions, billed as a "gateway for inner peace, unity and global transformation." Neither she nor her mother was injured when the device exploded on the front porch. She was born two weeks before Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a public transit bus in Montgomery, Alabama. But acting, I could be zany, silly, sometimes the foolish person that I am. Yolanda King, the eldest child of the Rev. The Tragic 2007 Death Of Martin Luther King's Eldest Child, Yolanda King. Yolanda, King's nine-year-old granddaughter, made headlines just last month with her rousing speech at the March for Our Lives rally in Washington. Family (2) Trivia (7) Daughter of Martin Luther King and Coretta Scott King. [11] When she was 6 years old, she was saddened by classmates' remarks that her father was a "jailbird". Martin Luther King Jr. , Rev. In honor of her father, King promoted a show in Los Angeles entitled "Achieving the Dream" in 2001. The event marked 57 years since King Jr delivered. CDC warns drug-resistant stomach bug a "serious public health threat" ATLANTA Yolanda Denise King, the Rev. Yolanda King, who lived in California, was an actress, ran a production company and appeared in numerous films, including "Ghosts of Mississippi." She played Rosa Parks in the 1978 miniseries "King." [5] She kept her father busy when walking on their home's floors. Despite this, King managed to keep up her grades and became involved in high school politics, serving as class president for two years. He had come up for the festivities, and he had two friends with him. Martin Luther King III uttered that "Yolanda is still in business. She has mostly been in the news. [95] She, her brother Martin Luther King III and Al Sharpton sang We Shall Overcome in front of "The Sphere", which stood atop the World Trade Center prior to the September 11 attacks.[96]. "She was an actress, author, producer, advocate for peace and nonviolence, who was known and loved for her motivational and inspirational contributions to society," the King family said in a statement. The four children of the civil rights activist noticed "something was happening". Her death came less than a year and a half after her mother, Coretta Scott King, died in January 2006. [57] Her mother's support helped in starting her acting career. She was credited with having her father's sense of humor.[1]. This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial. In her teenage years, King preferred to go by her nickname "Yoki." Jesse Jackson stated that King "lived with a lot of the trauma of our struggle. On April 8, 1988, King and Shabazz were honored by Los Angeles County supervisors for their "unifying" performance and message on stage at the Los Angeles Theater Center the previous night. For a nation that prides itself on liberty, justice and equality for all, this is totally unacceptable. Former Mayor Andrew Young, a lieutenant of her father's who has remained close to the family, said Yolanda King had just spoken at an event for the American Heart Association. From left: Dexter King, the Rev. Active human rights worker. Staff writer Kevin Moran contributed to this report. All four of MLK's children . When he did, she would play and swim with him. When asked by The Associated Press at that event how she was dealing with the loss of her mother, she responded: "I connected with her spirit so strongly. [39] On April 4, 1970, the second anniversary of her father's death, she and her sister Bernice attended their grandfather Martin Luther King, Sr.'s silent prayer for their father at his gravesite. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. King made it clear that while she had not been "endeared" to the institution, she was still "grateful" for her experience. Her accomplishments extended further to the publishing industry, where she authored several books, including "Open my Eyes, Open my Soul," which made it to print in 2003 (via Stanford). Coretta Scott King began to decline in health after suffering a stroke in August 2005. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Many former classmates of both Grady High School and Smith College attended to remember her. The head of the school was Walt Roberts, father of the actors Eric and Julia Roberts. The loss has not gotten easier in 50 years, but his three surviving children each bear it on their own terms. There was such a need, like they were looking for a miracle. The four King children gathered at the February 2006 funeral of their mother, Coretta Scott King. Maybe when I'm older I won't be able to stand Yoki, but Yolanda sounds so formal!" [58] Despite some early opposition to acting that she received during her controversial play in high school, King still tried to get roles and actively tried performing. This, and other experiences, prompted a 7-year-old Yolanda to tell her friends (via Stanford), "Look, all I want is to just be treated like a normal child.". She wore the mantle of princess, and she wore it with dignity and charm," Lowery said. She made lifelong friends while in the institution that would collectively be called the "Grady Girls". [112] On May 12, 2007,[107] days before her death, she spoke at St. Mary Medical Center, on behalf of the American Stroke Association. May 16, 2007 / 5:32 AM Her death came less than a year and a half after her mother, Coretta Scott King, died in January 2006. The "commitment" to diverse members in the audience and the play itself, was what represented the opportunities for which King fought. NPR's Karen Grigsby Bates offers a personal note on Yolanda King. A flag at The King Center, which King's mother founded in 1968 and where she was a board member, was lowered to half-staff on Wednesday. [102] During the fall of 2004 she played Mama in "A Raisin in the Sun" at the Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts at Cornell University. The children of Martin Luther King and Coretta Scott King Yolanda Denise, Martin Luther III, Dexter Scott, and Bernice Albertine have each in their own way worked to carry on their parents' work fighting for racial equality and social justice. Martin Luther King Jr., and Coretta Scott King, Dexter Scott King, the Rev. [47] In response to her role in the play and her own response to the role, a man wrote to Jet predicting that she would marry a white person before she was eighteen. King's mother, Coretta Scott King, suffered a stroke before her death from cancer in 2006. 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