Martin Luther King Jr’s youngest son Dexter Scott dies of cancer
Dexter Scott King, the youngest son of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., has passed away at the age of 62, as announced by the King Center in Atlanta.
Family members revealed that he succumbed to prostate cancer, peacefully transitioning in his sleep at his Malibu home, according to a statement from his wife, Leah Weber King.
Born in Atlanta in 1961 to the renowned civil rights leaders, Dr. King and Coretta Scott King, Dexter Scott King was named after Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, where his father had served as a pastor. Tragically, he was just seven years old when Dr. King was assassinated.
An activist in his own right, Dexter Scott King served as the chairman of the King Center and held the position of president at the King Estate. His brother, Martin Luther King III, expressed deep sorrow over the loss of his sibling, emphasizing the devastating shock of the news. He urged people to keep the entire King family, especially Dexter’s wife Leah Weber, in their thoughts and prayers.
Rev. Bernice King, Dexter’s sister, conveyed the profound heartbreak she felt at losing another sibling, emphasizing that words cannot adequately express the depth of her emotions. Yolanda King, another sister, had passed away in 2007, a year after their mother.
Dexter King pursued his education at Morehouse College in Atlanta, following in his father’s footsteps. Later, he became a lawyer, utilizing his legal expertise to safeguard the intellectual property of the King family.
The third of the Kings’ four children, Dexter had an “uncanny resemblance” to his father, whom he played in the 2002 movie The Rosa Parks Story, the King Center in Atlanta said.
“He devoted his life to the continued perpetuation of his father’s legacy,” the Center said.
In a statement, civil rights leader Rev Al Sharpton said he sent his condolences to the family, adding “May he RIP, may his legacy live”.
