CALIFORNIA: Dexter Scott King, a notable civil rights fighter and Martin Luther King Jr.’s youngest son, died of prostate cancer in Malibu, California on Monday, according to the King Center.
His wife stated that he died quietly in his home, adding that “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,” she went on to say.
Dexter Scott King was born in Atlanta on January 30, 1961, and was named after the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, where his father was the first pastor.
He was just seven years old when his father, Martin Luther King Jr., was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1968.
In a statement, Reverend Dr. Bernice A. King, CEO of the King Center, said, “Words cannot explain the sadness I feel over losing another sibling. I’m hoping for strength to get through this extremely difficult period.
Following in his father’s footsteps, Dexter attended Morehouse College in Atlanta. At the time of his passing, he served as both chairman of the King Center and president of the King Estate.