Yolanda King, shown here in a 2005 photograph, sought to encourage "personal growth and positive social change." The other indelible image is of Mrs. King and her children. [25] Her memories of her father prompted her to state that he "believed we were all divine. Dr. King was assassinated in 1968, and Mrs. King died last year. In 1966, Yolanda listened to a speech her father gave when he was addressing a rally. He had come up for the festivities, and he had two friends with him. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Her career in acting kept her in the realm of civil rights. 1894 shipwreck found in Lake Huron, confirming "powerful, tragic story" I am in direct contact with her spirit, and that has given me so much peace and so much strength. In life, she said, I had to be prim and proper and poised the King daughter. Yolanda Denise King was an African-American activist, actress and first-born child of civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Her father also addressed the issue himself. There, she gave a speech and made references to her past difficult experiences when first coming to the college. She was among 187 people arrested during a demonstration by lesbian and gay rights activists. "[27], On the evening of April 4, 1968, when she was 12, Yolanda returned with her mother from Easter-dress shopping when Jesse Jackson called the family and reported that her father had been shot. Yolanda, Martin, Dexter and Bernice King lost their father. Martin Luther King Jr., died late Tuesday in Santa Monica, Calif. She was 51. NPR's Karen Grigsby Bates offers a personal note on Yolanda King. 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. 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. Her career as an actor and speaker combined her father's. [61] Both were worried that they would not like each other due to their fathers' legacies. Martin Luther King Jr.'s eldest child who pursued her father's dream of racial harmony through drama and motivational speaking, has died. [28] King was also an author and advocate for peace and nonviolence, and held memberships in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference which her father co-founded in 1957 and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Despite this, Shabazz still appeared in the state and performed in the play. [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]. Yolanda, from your one and only, I thank you for being a sister and for being a friend." Thank you for her voice. There, she joined hands with her siblings and mother along with other civil rights activists, singing We Shall Overcome. "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. [13][14] [71] Yolanda Denise King, daughter and eldest child of civil rights leader the Rev. 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. 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. [17] For Christmas 1963, King and her siblings accepted a sacrificial Christmas as appealed by their parents and only received a single gift. Active human rights worker. The Tragic 2007 Death Of Martin Luther King's Eldest Child, Yolanda King. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Yolanda King's cause of death remains unknown, although her family including her sister Bernice King and two brothers, Martin and Dexter King believe a heart problem may have contributed to her death (via NPR). Yolanda King is survived by her sister, the Rev. On January 15, 1997, she spoke at Florida Memorial College and expressed what she believed her father would feel if "he knew that people were taking a day off in his memory to do nothing". Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who melded her father's. It began on Jan. 30, 1956, when Yolanda, nicknamed Yoki, was 2 months old and the familys house was bombed in the Montgomery bus boycott. The children referred to her father as an "Uncle Tom" and she was scared that he would go down in history as such. 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. She also urged the audience at Ebenezer to be a force for peace and love, and to use the King holiday each year in January to ask tough questions about their own beliefs on prejudice. Marty was quieter, but he tossed in a quip or two when he could manage to get a word in edgewise. Three officers shot, standoff follows in Kansas City, Mo., police say, Vanessa Bryant, family settles claims over Kobe crash site photos for $28.5M, Flying bug found at Walmart turns out to be rare Jurassic-era insect, Pennsylvania police seized gloves, flashlight from home of Idaho murders suspect, CDC warns drug-resistant stomach bug a "serious public health threat". She also was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. "She was a warm and gentle person and was thoroughly committed to the movement and found her own means of expressing that commitment through drama. While in high school, she gained lifelong friends. The pair performed in around 50 cities a year and did lectures together, typically in school settings. Ms. King was 12 on April 4, 1968, when she heard a news bulletin on television saying her father had been assassinated in Memphis. 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. But acting, I could be zany, silly, sometimes the foolish person that I am. Yolanda Denise King, daughter and eldest child of the Rev. As she said during an interview, "I prefer Yoki. In a twenty-four-minute-long speech, she brought up the presidential election of that year, and also quoted the words of Bobby Kennedy by recalling his line which he took from George Bernard Shaw, that of "Some men see things as they are and say why? Yolanda King, the eldest daughter of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King, has died in California, family friends said on Wednesday. She stated that her father had a "magnificent dream", but admitted that "it still is only a dream. When her father was assassinated on April 4, 1968, the 12-year-old King showed her composure during the public funeral and mourning events. [82], 25 years after her father's assassination, she went to his gravesite. She wore the mantle of princess, and she wore it with dignity and charm," said the Rev. She was a reserved and quiet person who loved acting. [39] She was active in student government and drama. She was 51. It's often hard for young people to understand the fear and terror so many people felt and how bold they were to get involved in the marches. Al Sharpton, a black political leader, said he expressed his condolences to her brother Martin Luther King III on Wednesday. No blood children, maybe, but as Yolanda pointed out in an NPR interview a few years ago, when people feel empowered, they become part of the King legacy: "I think it takes that for people to be effective change agents and to be champions of peace in their own lives. Being a busy woman, her brother merely treated it as one of her hectic schedules. King and Dexter were in favor of sale, but their other siblings were not. Yolanda King founded and led Higher Ground Productions, billed as a "gateway for inner peace, unity and global transformation." The movement was in her DNA. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. [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'. The next year, Ms. Kings uncle A. D. King, her fathers sole brother, accidentally drowned. The family did not know the cause of death but that relatives think it might have been a heart problem, he said. [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. [8] The Kings would have another daughter, almost eight years later, named Bernice (born 1963). Higher Ground Productions: www.yolanda-king.com, Yolanda King, daughter of MLK Jr., dies at 51. "We must keep reaching across the table and, in the tradition of Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, feed each other," said Yolanda, urging those who honor the Kings' work to question their own beliefs on prejudice and be a personal force for peace and love. Martin Luther King Jr., has died, said Steve Klein, a spokesman for the King Center. King called her father's name and having to live up to it a "challenge" and recalled a friend when she first met a friend of hers, who believed she could not say anything to King but after beginning to know her, realized that she was "no worse than my other friends" and she "could say anything" to her. Only a year earlier, Coretta Scott King, wife of MLK and mother to Yolanda, died from complications of ovarian cancer at the age of 78. "[126] Like her parents and siblings, King did not publicly affiliate with a political party. In 1978 she starred as Rosa Parks in the TV miniseries King (based on her father's life and released on DVD in 2005). [79] King stressed in 1992 that love would help people make their mark on the world. And that's how we can effectively commemorate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.". Joseph Lowery, said Wednesday he was stunned and saddened by the news of King's death. Yolanda King was born November 17, 1955, shortly before the Montgomery Bus Boycott. [45], At 15 she was subject to controversy when she appeared in the play The Owl and the Pussycat with a white male lead. "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. Yolanda Renee King declares a call to action to mark Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday: "Although you may not be old enough to vote, you are the future." Yolanda Renee King, granddaughter of civil . Historian David Garrow, who won a Pulitzer for his biography of King and who remains friends with many King intimates, says it's not so surprising that none of the King children married. [66], She showed dissatisfaction with her "generation" on January 20, 1985, and referred to them as being "laid-back and unconcerned", and "forgetting the sacrifices that allowed them to get away with being so laid-back". Ms. King was meeting her brother Dexter King at a friends home when she collapsed and died. She debunked complacency in having any role in progression of her father's dream. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, When asked what kind of world she would like to live in, King said she wished "people could love everybody". 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. The four King children gathered at the February 2006 funeral of their mother, Coretta Scott King. "[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. The flag at The King Center, where she was a board member, flew at half-staff on today. Klein said the family did not know the cause of death but think it might have been a heart problem. [57] Her mother's support helped in starting her acting career. Yolanda King's bio. ", The Rev. #inline-recirc-item--id-93e66a4a-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d ~ .item:nth-child(5) { Raphael Warnock stated; "She dealt with the difficulty of personal pain and public responsibility and yet she emerged from it all victorious. During the family's interview with Mike Wallace in December 1968, Yolanda was introduced by her mother and revealed her role in keeping the family together. .component--type-recirculation .item:nth-child(5) { 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. Besides her brother Dexter Scott King, Yolanda King is survived by another brother, Martin Luther King III, and her sister, the Rev. In the interview with the magazine, she related how people expected her to be "stuck up" and referred to it as one of the "handicaps" of being Martin Luther King's child. She was 12 years old when Martin Luther King Jr. died. 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.Her career as an actor and speaker combined her father's activism with her own artistic pursuits. Yolanda King: 'We will fulfil my grandfather's dream' The granddaughter of Martin Luther King Jr speaks at the 2020 March on Washington. 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. The two were the same age. "[24] King appeared in the film Selma, Lord, Selma, based on the 1965 Selma to Montgomery marches as Miss Bright. Ms. King graduated from Smith College and earned a master of fine arts degree from New York University. after numerous attempts to explain the issue to her, Yolanda finally understood. Flying bug found at Walmart turns out to be rare Jurassic-era insect All rights reserved. In 1993, she debunked the thought that her father's "dream" had been anything but a dream, and was quoted as saying "It's easier to build monuments than to make a better world. King was also an author and advocate for peace and nonviolence, and held memberships in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference which her father co-founded in 1957 and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Oliver Lang/AFP/Getty Images 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. She allowed me to give myself permission to be me." [31], King was visited by Mrs. Kennedy before her father's funeral. [4] Despite this, the front porch was damaged and glass broke in the home. Mrs. King said the children attended because they wanted to. ATLANTA - Yolanda King, the Rev. I am in direct contact with her spirit, and that has given me so much peace and so much strength." When asked then by The Associated Press how she was dealing with the loss of her mother, King responded: "I connected with her spirit so strongly. When asked about how she was faring following her mother's death, Yolanda responded: "I connected with her spirit so strongly. Her death came less than a year and a half after her mother, Coretta Scott King, died in January 2006. 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. She wrote "Yolanda proved daily that it was possible to smile while wreathed in sadness. ATLANTA Yolanda Denise King, the Rev. "[87] In July 1994, after seeing some photographs of her father prior to his death, Yolanda lamented that "this [had] brought back a lot of memories. . . Yolanda King learned about racial discrimination at 3 or 4 when she was barred from an amusement park. I remember thinking she was sparkly a good, throaty laugh, good sense of humor, the ability to dramatically capture the room's attention. Jesse Jackson stated that King "lived with a lot of the trauma of our struggle. [41] Her inclinations were driven to be artistic, which did not suit the political aspects of her father's life. 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. After the move, she founded Higher Ground Productions where she produced and starred in a myriad of films. Martin Luther King Sr., refused to attend, but her mother supported her. [39] During a Sunday visit to Church, King was forced to stand before the congregation and explain her actions. She was one of the first black children at a previously segregated elementary school in Atlanta, where she endured racial epithets. 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