Dexter Scott King, the younger son of the late civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, passed away on Monday due to prostate cancer, as announced by the King Center in Atlanta.
His wife, Leah Weber King, disclosed that he peacefully departed in his sleep at his Malibu, California, residence. Dexter, aged 62, valiantly confronted the challenges of this formidable illness until the very end. Leah praised his determination, stating, “He gave it everything and battled this terrible disease until the end. As with all the challenges in his life, he faced this hurdle with bravery and might.”
Born in Atlanta on January 30, 1961, Dexter was named after Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, where his father held his initial pastorate. The tragic assassination of his father in Memphis, Tennessee, when Dexter was just seven years old, marked a profound loss.
Reverend Dr. Bernice A. King, CEO of the King Center, expressed deep sorrow, stating, “Words cannot express the heartbreak I feel from losing another sibling. I’m praying for strength to get through this very difficult time.”
Following in his father’s footsteps, Dexter attended Morehouse College in Atlanta. At the time of his demise, he held the positions of chairman of the King Center and president of the King Estate. Additionally, he pursued a career in acting and notably portrayed his father in the 2002 television movie “The Rosa Parks Story.”
Reverend Al Sharpton, founder and president of the National Action Network, lamented the loss, saying, “Dexter was only seven when his hero, his role model, and, most importantly, his father was taken from us.” Sharpton acknowledged Dexter’s transformation of pain into activism, dedicating his life to realizing the dream Martin and Coretta Scott King had for their descendants.
Dexter King is survived by his wife Leah Weber King, his sister Bernice King, his brother Martin Luther King III, his niece Yolanda Renee King, and other family members. He was preceded in death by his father, mother (2006), and sister Yolanda (2007).
