Days after the nation celebrated his father, Martin Luther King, Jr., Dexter Scott King reportedly passed away at the age of 62.
According to The King Center, the youngest son of the civil rights activist died after a battle with prostate cancer on Monday, Jan. 22. “He transitioned peacefully in his sleep at home with me in Malibu,” his wife Leah Weber King shared. “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.”
Dexter Scott King’s sister and CEO of The King Center, Rev. Dr. Bernice A. King, also stated, “Words cannot express the heartbreak I feel from losing another sibling. I’m praying for strength to get through this very difficult time.”
Martin Luther King, III, then added, “The sudden shock is devastating. It is hard to have the right words at a moment like this. We ask for your prayers at this time for the entire King family.”
Dexter Scott King was born in Atlanta on Jan. 30, 1961, and was named after Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery Alabama. This is the church where his father served his first pastorate. He is the second-born son of Dr. and Mrs. King. He was only seven years old when his father was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee.
Dexter Scott King ‘Devoted’ His Life to the Continued Preservation Of His Father’s Legacy
The King Center also stated that Dexter Scott King had devoted his life to the “continued perpetuation of his father’s legacy.”
“At the time of his death, Dexter served as both Chairman of The King Center and President of the King Estate,” The King Center revealed. “Becoming well versed in intellectual property law, and its management and licensing was the result of his dedication to the delegated task and the memory of both his father and mother.”
Dexter Scott King is preceded in death by his father, his mother, and his sister Yolanda. He is survived by his wife Leah, his sister Bernice, his brother Martin Luther King III, his niece, Yolanda Renee King, as well as numerous immediate and extended family members.
The King family added they request privacy at this time. They will respond to media inquiries following a press conference on Tuesday, Jan. 23 at The King Center. A memorial service will be announced at a later time.