Dexter Scott King, the youngest son of civil rights icons Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, passed away at 62 following a long battle with prostate cancer. His passing, announced by the King Center in Atlanta, occurred at his California home.
Dexter was just seven years old when his father was assassinated in 1968. He carried forward his parents’ legacy, notably running the King Center and portraying his father in the 2002 television movie “The Rosa Parks Story.”
His wife, Leah Weber King, shared that he “transitioned peacefully in his sleep” and faced his illness with bravery.
His siblings, Martin Luther King III and Bernice King, expressed profound grief and shock at the loss. Dexter’s life was intertwined with the civil rights movement, a legacy beginning with his name, inspired by the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church where his father first rose to prominence.
