[108] After Coretta died on January 30, 2006, Yolanda, like her siblings, attended her funeral. [63] A few months after King and Shabazz met, the pair decided to collaborate on a theatrical work, resulting in Stepping into Tomorrow. Bernice King, Martin Luther King III and Yolanda King participate in a musical tribute to their mother at the new Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. The four King children gathered at the February 2006 funeral of their mother, Coretta Scott King. There, she joined hands with her siblings and mother along with other civil rights activists, singing We Shall Overcome. She was 51. Higher Ground Productions: www.yolanda-king.com, Yolanda King, daughter of MLK Jr., dies at 51. At the time of the honor, King said that their production company had been approached by organizations seeking to arrange special staging of the play for gang members before May 1, when the show's run would end. The actor, speaker and producer was the founder and head of Higher Ground Productions, billed as a "gateway for inner peace, unity and global transformation." "[91] In an interview with People magazine in 1999, she recalled when she first learned of her father's death and stated in her words that "to this day, my heart skips a beat every time I hear one of those special bulletins. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who melded her father's. Jesse Jackson, an aide of Martin Luther King Jr. "The movement was in her DNA. But acting, I could be zany, silly, sometimes the foolish person that I am. 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. People Photos Purpose. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Martin Luther King Jr.'s eldest child who pursued her father's dream of racial harmony through drama and motivational speaking, has died. Andrea Waters King, Yolanda Renee King, and Martin Luther King III, attend the "March On for Washington and Voting Rights" on August 28, 2021 in. Sign In . An alumna of Smith College after graduating in 1976, she was the subject of an essay among the "remarkable women" during a celebration during the college's one hundred and twenty-fifth year[56] and she was a member of the board of directors of the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, Inc. (the official national memorial to her father) and was founding Director of the King Center's Cultural Affairs Program. Her death came less than a year and a half after her mother, Coretta Scott King, died in January 2006. [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. In honor of her father, King promoted a show in Los Angeles entitled "Achieving the Dream" in 2001. [119] She made it clear that month that she was not trying to fill her father's footsteps, noting jokingly that "They're too big" and that she would "fall and break [her] neck". I was a high-school junior when Martin Luther King was assassinated. Martin Luther King Jr. 's eldest child who pursued her father's dream of racial harmony through drama and motivational speaking, has died. ", The Rev. Stepping into Tomorrow led to the formation of Nucleus in the 1980s, a theater company which King and Shabazz founded. 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. King died late Tuesday in Santa Monica, Calif., at age 51. At her father's Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, she performed a series of solo skits that told stories including a girl's first ride on a desegregated bus and a college student's recollection of the 1963 campaign to desegregate Birmingham, Ala. She also urged the audience to be a force for peace and love, and to use the King holiday each year to ask tough questions about their own beliefs about prejudice. An important early memory was that she wanted to go to Funtown, a local amusement park, with the rest of her class, but was barred from doing so due to her race. Alongside the physician that took care of her mother, Dr. Maggie Mermin and her sister, Yolanda told the press that her mother was making progress on a daily basis and was expected to make a full recovery. Their play Stepping into Tomorrow was praised by supervisors as being "entertaining and enlightening." The children referred to her father as an "Uncle Tom" and she was scared that he would go down in history as such. [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. With Elodia Tate, she edited a motivational book emphasizing the importance of diversity. She was credited with having her father's sense of humor.[1]. Her childhood experience was greatly influenced by her father's highly public activism. Oliver Lang/AFP/Getty Images Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. She was born just two weeks before Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus there, leading to the Montgomery bus boycott spearheaded by her father. Jesse Jackson stated that King "lived with a lot of the trauma of our struggle. After she suggested that he would most likely give it all away, King laughed with her mother. It was the first time she had ever been arrested. She was among 187 people arrested during a demonstration by lesbian and gay rights activists. 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. I thought of that evening often over the years, the unexpected appearance of the living children of a beloved icon. King was scheduled to visit Houston this weekend to attend numerous events related to the "Power to End Stroke'' campaign sponsored by the local chapter of the American Heart Association, Houston Gulf Coast Division. Yolanda King was the most visible and outspoken among the Kings' four children during activities honoring this year's Martin Luther King Day in January, the first since Coretta Scott King's death. Blame the Federal Reserve. King died late Tuesday in Santa Monica, Calif., at age 51. 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. What is the birth name of. [36], When asked about what pressures emerged from being a daughter of Martin Luther King Jr., King stated that "as soon as people heard me speak, they would compare me to my father My siblings had the same kind of pressure. ", As an actress, she appeared in numerous films, including "Ghosts of Mississippi," and even played civil rights heroine Rosa Parks in the 1978 miniseries "King.". She appeared in numerous films and played Rosa Parks in the 1978 miniseries King. It was the first and only institution where King was not harassed or mistreated because of who her father was. She became an actress, ran a production company and appeared in numerous films, including "Ghosts of Mississippi," and as Rosa Parks in the 1978 miniseries "King.". She was 7 when her father mentioned her and her siblings in his 1963 speech at the March on Washington: "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.". Joseph Lowery, one of her father's close aides in the civil rights movement. Al Sharpton , U.S.. May 16, 2007 / 5:32 AM Yolanda King was born on November 17, 1955 in Montgomery, Alabama, USA. [35], In regards to the possibility that her father could have been saved, King said she doubted that her father could have lived much longer given all the stress he had during his tenure as a leader of the Civil Rights Movement. Sometime after Martin Luther King's assassination, King told her mother "Mom, I'm not going to cry because my dad is not dead. We had cups of tea because it was so frigid that night, and then they were gone. "Hey, hope you don't mind, but I brought Yoki and Marty with me," he apologized as the three swept up the stairs of my DuPont Circle townhouse. We cannot be satisfied with a few black faces in high places when millions of our people have been locked out." Her death came a year after her mother died. At her father's former Atlanta church, Ebenezer Baptist, she performed a series of one-actor skits that told stories including a girl's first ride on a desegregated bus and a college student's recollection of the 1963 desegregation of Birmingham, Alabama. King and Dexter were in favor of sale, but their other siblings were not. When asked about how she was faring following her mother's death, Yolanda responded: "I connected with her spirit so strongly. Please enter valid email address to continue. She made lifelong friends while in the institution that would collectively be called the "Grady Girls". "[37] King openly stated years later that she did not hate James Earl Ray.[38]. Her career as an actor and speaker combined her father's. She asked her mother at this time, if she should hate the man who killed her father. Prior to the film's release, King expressed belief in children of the time knowing that "Martin Luther King Jr. was killed, but when it is time to talk about the facts and the history, there is not a lot of knowledge. King was an ardent activist for gay rights,[123][124] as was her mother; Coretta Scott protested many times over gay rights. [42] Of the King children, Yolanda was the only one to attend Grady High School, as her siblings would go to different high schools following her graduation. All rights reserved. Pennsylvania police seized gloves, flashlight from home of Idaho murders suspect Born on Nov. 17, 1955, in Montgomery, Ala., Yolanda Denise King was just an infant when her home was bombed amid the turbulent civil rights era. King outlived her mother by only 16 months, succumbing to complications related to a chronic heart condition on May 15, 2007. I remember being particularly focused on one of them: Robert Kennedy was somber, even tearful at times, as he knelt and crossed himself and prayed with his wife, Ethel, before the service began. Summary . [118], Despite this, she was quoted in January 2003 of saying that she was "a 100 percent, dyed-in-the-wool, card-carrying believer in 'The Dream'. Klein said the family did not know the cause of death but think it might have been a heart problem. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot loses reelection bid, Fiery train crash in Greece kills dozens, many of them students. [82], 25 years after her father's assassination, she went to his gravesite. Lawsuits claim it wrecked their teeth. After having been a public speaker for over twenty years, Yolanda recalled her talents having "happened very naturally growing up in a house like mine". Steve Klein, a spokesman for the center, says the 51-year-old died late Tuesday in Santa Monica, Calif. A spokesman for the King Center says the family does not know the cause of death but suspects it might have been a heart problem. "She lived with a lot of the trauma of our struggle," said the Rev. "Yolanda was lovely. Legal Statement. And that's how we can now commemorate his daughter. She wrote "Yolanda proved daily that it was possible to smile while wreathed in sadness. The Associated Press contributed to this report. 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. In the Fall of 1968, King attended Henry Grady Highschool, in Midtown Atlanta, Georgia, she was president of her sophomore and junior class, and vice president of her senior class. For a nation that prides itself on liberty, justice and equality for all, this is totally unacceptable. Yolanda Denise King, daughter and eldest child of civil rights leader the Rev. Trending News 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. [46] Her grandfather Martin Luther King Sr. initially was not going to go to her performance due to opposition by locals, but changed his mind afterward. [63], When presenting herself in 1980 to the GSA staff members, she stated: "Jim Crow [segregation] is dead, but his sophisticated cousin James Crow, Esq., is very much alive. [8] The Kings would have another daughter, almost eight years later, named Bernice (born 1963). Yolanda King was born November 17, 1955, shortly before the Montgomery Bus Boycott. [79] King stressed in 1992 that love would help people make their mark on the world. She became a secondary caregiver to her younger siblings. Instead, the two quickly found common ground in their activism and in their positive outlook towards the future of African-Americans. Many in attendance did not know her, but came out of respect for the King family's history of peace protests and social justice. As an actress, she appeared in numerous films and even played civil rights heroine Rosa Parks in the 1978 miniseries "King." 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. 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Before her death, she led a production company called Higher Ground Productions an organization whose mission is to provide a "gateway for inner peace, unity, and global transformation," as per NPR. Garrow says his first inclination when he heard of Yolanda's death was: This is it. 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. 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. She went to drama school, where was active in student counsels, and in 1976, she graduated from Smith College with a Bachelor of Arts in Drama and African American Studies. She has mostly been in the news. [45], At 15 she was subject to controversy when she appeared in the play The Owl and the Pussycat with a white male lead. } [77] On January 17, 1991, Yolanda spoke before a crowd of students at Edmonds Community College, around 200 in number. In 1956, a number of white supremacists bombed the King household. She was 51 King. after numerous attempts to explain the issue to her, Yolanda finally understood. [51], After graduating from high school, she went to Smith College. Yolanda died in May. I dream things that never were and say why not?". In her teenage years, King preferred to go by her nickname "Yoki." Legal Statement. Martin Luther King Jr., has died, said Steve Klein, a spokesman for the King Center. Market data provided by Factset. Martin Luther King III uttered that "Yolanda is still in business. Remember people with biographies & photos. "[54] On April 4, 1975, King joined her family in placing azaleas over her father's crypt, marking the seventh anniversary of his assassination.[55]. Mrs. King said the children attended because they wanted to. Yolanda King's career proved equally successful as she used both entertainment and oratory to advance her family's message. King joined her mother and siblings in marches and was lauded by such figures as Harry Belafonte, who established a trust fund for her and her siblings. We compared notes about having gone to women's colleges and teased each other about the perceived weaknesses of our respective alma maters. Dexter King said of his sister, "She gave me permission. or redistributed. hide caption. Many former classmates of both Grady High School and Smith College attended to remember her. "[126] Like her parents and siblings, King did not publicly affiliate with a political party. Yolanda King: 'Open My Eyes, Open My Soul'. Yolanda King, the oldest child of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., died on May 15, 2007, in Santa Monica, California, at the age of 51. Martin Luther King Sr., refused to attend, but her mother supported her. [11] When she was 6 years old, she was saddened by classmates' remarks that her father was a "jailbird". [39] During a Sunday visit to Church, King was forced to stand before the congregation and explain her actions. He had come up for the festivities, and he had two friends with him. She was helping the association raise awareness, especially among blacks, about stroke. Yolanda King learned about racial discrimination at 3 or 4 when she was barred from an amusement park. Bernice King. Below, she speaks at a 2000 Human Rights Campaign gala. Klein said the family did not know the cause of death but that relatives think it might have been a heart problem. I have chosen to continue to promote 'we're one, the oneness of us, and shine the spotlight,' as my father did. . [24] In February 1982, King was a speaker during the centennial of Anne Spencer's birth. U.S. Yolanda King Dead At Age 51 May 16, 2007 / 5:32 AM / CBS/AP The King Center in Atlanta set up to preserve the legacy of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King says his oldest. Yolanda King was active in education during the start of her acting career, working as a professor for three years at Fordham University before moving to Los Angeles in 1990. They look at me when I'm talking as if this is science fiction. When she replied "Your father is going to jail so that you can go to Funtown." [24], On May 15, 2007, King told her brother Dexter, that she was tired, though he thought nothing of it because of her "hectic" schedule. Yolanda King, the eldest daughter of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King, has died in California, family friends said on Wednesday. "[94] Following the September 11 attacks, King spoke in North Chicago in 2002 and related that her father's wisdom during the crisis would have been of great aid to her. She was an actress and writer, known for King (1978), JAG (1995) and Hopscotch (1980). She also appeared in Ghosts of Mississippi and founded a production company called Higher Ground Productions. She just moved upstairs." "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 pair performed in around 50 cities a year and did lectures together, typically in school settings. On May 15, 2007, she told her brother Dexter that she was tired. She was just 10 weeks old when the King family home was bombed in Jan. 30, 1956, as her father attended a boycott rally. Ms. King was meeting her brother Dexter King at a friends home when she collapsed and died. May 24, 2007 #1 A friend of mines sent me these photos, so I cannot verify the authenticity.I think she looks beautiful. She occasionally experienced threats to her life, designed to intimidate her parents, and was bullied at school. Yolanda Denise King, who was born on Nov. 17, 1955, in Montgomery, Ala., lived virtually her entire life in the maelstrom of the civil rights revolution that her father and mother, Coretta Scott King, helped lead. People arrested during a Sunday visit to Church, King was meeting her brother Dexter King said his! Being `` entertaining and enlightening. silly, sometimes the foolish person that I am we can now commemorate daughter! About how she was helping the association raise awareness, especially among blacks, about stroke an! To women 's colleges and teased each other about the perceived weaknesses of our people been..., 1955, shortly before the congregation and explain her actions things that never were and say why not ``. 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