Dexter Scott King, Martin Luther King Jr.’s youngest son, passed away on January 22, 2024, CNN reported. He was 62. In an interview, The King Center opened that prostate cancer led to Dexter’s demise. King’s wife, Leah Weber King, shared, “He transitioned peacefully in his sleep at home with me in Malibu. He gave it everything and fought this deadly disease until the end. As with all the challenges in his life, he faced this hurdle with bravery and might.”
At the time of his father’s demise, Dexter was only seven years old. He later recalled in his memoir “Growing Up King” how the assassination affected him (via ABC27). “Ever since I was seven, I’ve felt I must be formal. Formality, seriousness, certitude — all these are difficult poses to maintain, even if you’re a person with perfect equilibrium, with all the drama life throws at you,” he wrote. Although he loved the arts and wanted to become an actor, Dexter spent his life working to uphold his dad’s legacy until his demise.
It must have been difficult living up to Martin Luther King Jr.’s name, but Dexter Scott King bore the weight well. In 2003, he told CNN, “People would say, ‘I want you to be just like your dad,’ or ‘You should be a minister.” Rather than preach to the masses, Dexter’s path in life was to bring awareness to his father’s teachings by opening up The King Center in Atlanta Georgia. “We continue to educate the world about his teachings of nonviolence. We want [MLK’s teachings] to be intact for generations yet unborn,” he said.
As a lawyer, Dexter used his knowledge to preserve his father’s intellectual property via The King Center. “He was the family member delegated to take on the mantle of continuing the precedent his father set by legally protecting his work,” the organization said in a statement, per NBC News.
Along with his wife, Leah Weber King, Dexter is survived by his sister, Reverend Dr. Bernice King, and his brother, Martin Luther King, III. “Words cannot describe the heart break I feel from losing another sibling,” Dr. Bernice stated, per PBS. Martin added, “The sudden shock is devastating. It is difficult to have the right words at a moment like this. We ask for your prayers at this time for the entire King family.”