After she suggested that he would most likely give it all away, King laughed with her mother. "[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. Stepping into Tomorrow led to the formation of Nucleus in the 1980s, a theater company which King and Shabazz founded. Yolanda King, the Rev. [3] Yolanda and her mother were not harmed. She played Rosa Parks in the 1978 miniseries "King" and appeared in "Ghosts of Mississippi" a drama based on the true story of a white supremacist accused of the assassination of civil rights activist Medgar Evers (via NPR). Yolanda King, 51, Actor and Dr. King's Daughter, Dies By Douglas Martin May 17, 2007 Yolanda King, the eldest child of the Rev. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. In January 2004, King referred to her father as a king, but not as one who "sat on a throne, but one who sat in a dark Birmingham jail. Born on Nov. 17, 1955, in Montgomery, Ala., Yolanda Denise King was just an infant when her home was bombed amid the turbulent civil rights era. She portrayed Rosa Parks, who sparked the civil rights movement by refusing to give up her bus seat in a miniseries, King (1978), and Betty Shabazz, the wife of Malcolm X, in Death of a Prophet (1981). [62] The two were young adults at the time and had a mutual friend who noticed they were both studying theater in New York and arranged for them to meet. 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 complimented her mother on her achievements and her mother spoke of her in a positive light, as well. Alongside the physician that took care of her mother, Dr. Maggie Mermin and her sister, Yolanda told the press that her mother was making progress on a daily basis and was expected to make a full recovery. [112] On May 12, 2007,[107] days before her death, she spoke at St. Mary Medical Center, on behalf of the American Stroke Association. At her father's former Atlanta church, Ebenezer Baptist, she performed a series of one-actor skits that told stories including a girl's first ride on a desegregated bus and a college student's recollection of the 1963 desegregation of Birmingham, Alabama. ATLANTA (AP) On April 4, 1968, a movement lost its patriarch when the Rev. Her deepest memories were the love of her father, who taught her to swim and playfully pummeled her but never spanked her. [68], She celebrated her father's holiday on January 16, 1986, and attended a breakfast in Chicago with Mayor Harold Washington. Her childhood experience was greatly influenced by her father's highly public activism. [82], 25 years after her father's assassination, she went to his gravesite. [5] She kept her father busy when walking on their home's floors. King joined her mother and siblings in marches and was lauded by such figures as Harry Belafonte, who established a trust fund for her and her siblings. [50] King would ultimately attend Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts after graduating from high school. She stated, "It is entirely appropriate that you would choose to focus on multiculturalism as the opening activity of Black History Month. She was among 187 people arrested during a demonstration by lesbian and gay rights activists. Remember people with biographies & photos. The four King children gathered at the February 2006 funeral of their mother, Coretta Scott King. Yolanda Denise King (November 17, 1955 May 15, 2007) was an African-American activist, actress and first-born child of civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King who pursued artistic and entertainment endeavors and public speaking. Yolanda King was the founder and head of Higher Ground Productions, billed as a "gateway for inner peace, unity and global transformation." In the early hours of May 19, 2007, King's body was brought to Atlanta, Georgia by private plane belonging to Bishop Eddie Long. Yolanda King is survived by her sister, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., has died, said Steve Klein, a spokesman for the King Center. Share Memory. [12] After having not seen her father for five weeks while he was in jail, she finally was able to meet with him alongside both of her brothers for less than half an hour. [107], That year, she and her brother Dexter came to oppose their other brother and sister, Martin Luther King III and Bernice King, on the matter of selling the King Center. 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. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. On April 8, 1988, King and Shabazz were honored by Los Angeles County supervisors for their "unifying" performance and message on stage at the Los Angeles Theater Center the previous night. I could let the rough edges show., Yolanda King, 51, Actor and Dr. Kings Daughter, Dies, https://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/17/us/17king.html. Yolanda Denise King, daughter and eldest child of civil rights leader the Rev. Summary . ATLANTA Yolanda Denise King, the Rev. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot loses reelection bid There was such a need, like they were looking for a miracle. From left: Dexter King, the Rev. [95] She, her brother Martin Luther King III and Al Sharpton sang We Shall Overcome in front of "The Sphere", which stood atop the World Trade Center prior to the September 11 attacks.[96]. But the circumstances surrounding her death make people draw conclusions about her cause of death. [93] During a presentation in May 2000, King was asked if the human race would ever become "color blind". Her death came a year after her mother died. A flag at The King Center, which King's mother founded in 1968 and where she was a board member, was lowered to half-staff on Wednesday. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. She and her mother, at the time of the bomb's detonation, were in the rear section of their home. Yolanda King, Actress: King. Yolanda Denise King, daughter and eldest child of civil rights leader the Rev. This, and other experiences, prompted a 7-year-old Yolanda to tell her friends (via Stanford), "Look, all I want is to just be treated like a normal child.". Yolanda, from your one and only, I thank you for being a sister and for being a friend." "Thanks for having us.". Martin Luther King Jr.'s eldest child who pursued her father's dream of racial harmony through acting and motivational speaking, has died. [80] That same year, she also spoke at Indiana University. Dr. King was assassinated in 1968, and Mrs. King died last year. Even in her infancy, Yolanda was faced with the threats her father was given when they extended to his family. Her teenage years were filled with more tragedies, specifically the sudden death of her uncle Alfred Daniel Williams King and the murder of her grandmother, Alberta Williams King. Suzan Johnson Cook was highlighted in an article written by the minister, as she dubbed her deceased longtime friend a "queen whose name was King". November 28, 2007 . On her company's Web site, King described her mission as encouraging personal growth and positive social change. [40] At that time, King still did not know what she wanted to do with her life, but acknowledged that many wanted her to be a preacher. [15], On November 22, 1963, when U.S. President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, she learned of his death at school. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. "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. Leading up to her death, she was still active in the public eye. [31], King was visited by Mrs. Kennedy before her father's funeral. The "commitment" to diverse members in the audience and the play itself, was what represented the opportunities for which King fought. When her father was assassinated on April 4, 1968, the 12-year-old King showed her composure during the public funeral and mourning events. The King Center in Atlanta set up to preserve the legacy of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King says his oldest child, Yolanda Denise King, has died. Death photos of Yolanda King Seeing Spots May 24, 2007 1 2 Next Seeing Spots Joyful Woman! 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. Besides her brother Dexter Scott King, Yolanda King is survived by another brother, Martin Luther King III, and her sister, the Rev. [42] Of the King children, Yolanda was the only one to attend Grady High School, as her siblings would go to different high schools following her graduation. "[72] [104] She was hospitalized on August 16, 2005,[105] and was set to come home as well. [16] She predicted at that time that all of the "Negro leaders" would be killed and the non-leading African-Americans would agree to segregation. }, First published on May 16, 2007 / 5:32 AM. She wrote "Yolanda proved daily that it was possible to smile while wreathed in sadness. [24] She began speaking publicly at the age of ten and even filled in for her parents on occasion. She debunked complacency in having any role in progression of her father's dream. Her mother tried to debunk this, insisting that they would still get it. Born on Nov. 17, 1955, in Montgomery, Ala., King was just an infant when her home was bombed during the turbulent civil rights era. [4] Despite this, the front porch was damaged and glass broke in the home. I have chosen to continue to promote 'we're one, the oneness of us, and shine the spotlight,' as my father did. 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. Jesse Jackson, an aide of Martin Luther King Jr. "The movement was in her DNA. Anyone can read what you share. When asked by a young boy what she remembered most about her father, she admitted that her father was not able to spend much time with her and the rest of her family. [34] King and her siblings were assured an education thanks to the help of Harry Belafonte, who set up a trust fund for them years prior to their father's death. With Elodia Tate, she edited a motivational book emphasizing the importance of diversity. Please enter valid email address to continue. Yolanda Denise King (November 17, 1955 - May 15, 2007) was an African-American activist, actress and first-born child of civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King who pursued artistic and entertainment endeavors and public speaking. The Associated Press contributed to this report. [108] After Coretta died on January 30, 2006, Yolanda, like her siblings, attended her funeral. "Yolanda was lovely. Young said she was going to her brother Dexter's home when she collapsed in the doorway and "they were not able to revive her.". King's mother, Coretta Scott King, suffered a stroke before her death from cancer in 2006. Bernice King, Yolanda King and Martin Luther King III. The Tragic 2007 Death Of Martin Luther King's Eldest Child, Yolanda King. A flag at The King Center, which King's mother founded in 1968 and where she was a board member, was lowered to half-staff on Wednesday. She has mostly been in the news. [30] Four days later, she and her family accompanied their mother to Memphis City Hall on her own terms, as she and her brothers had wanted to come. Gamilah Lumumba Shabazz Gamilah was born in 1964, the year before her dad's death. [7] King's father eventually was satisfied with the nickname "Yoki", and wished that if they had a second daughter, they would name her something simpler. "[117], To the time of her death, King continued to deny that her father's dreams and ideals would be fulfilled during her lifetime. Yolanda King was born November 17, 1955, shortly before the Montgomery Bus Boycott. She received a standing ovation afterwards, alongside a thunderous applause. For a nation that prides itself on liberty, justice and equality for all, this is totally unacceptable. She wore the mantle of princess, and she wore it with dignity and charm," said the Rev. King; two brothers, Martin Luther King III and Dexter Scott King; and an extended family. [22] King flew to Memphis, Tennessee with her brothers and mother and participated in leading a march in Memphis with sanitation workers and civil rights leaders. 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. [39] She was active in student government and drama. Pennsylvania police seized gloves, flashlight from home of Idaho murders suspect [8] The Kings would have another daughter, almost eight years later, named Bernice (born 1963). Sometime after Martin Luther King's assassination, King told her mother "Mom, I'm not going to cry because my dad is not dead. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. She appeared in numerous films and played Rosa Parks in the 1978 miniseries King. Martin Luther King III uttered that "Yolanda is still in business. Photos honoring the life of Yolanda King from Santa Monica, California - ADVERTISEMENT - Play Music Pause Music Tweet; Help | Login | Sign Up; . [116], Bernice King said it was "very difficult standing here blessed as her one and only sister. We cannot be satisfied with a few black faces in high places when millions of our people have been locked out." In 1956, a number of white supremacists bombed the King household. However, her father reassured her as she began to cry that she was "just as good" as anyone who went to Funtown, and that, one day in the "not too distant future", she was going to be able to go to "any town" along with "all of God's children". Born in 1955 in Montgomery, Ala., King was just an infant when her home was bombed during the turbulent civil rights era. 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