When asked by The Associated Press at that event how she was dealing with the loss of her mother, she responded: "I connected with her spirit so strongly. [93] During a presentation in May 2000, King was asked if the human race would ever become "color blind". "[91] In an interview with People magazine in 1999, she recalled when she first learned of her father's death and stated in her words that "to this day, my heart skips a beat every time I hear one of those special bulletins. It seems we've stood still and in many ways gone backward since Martin Luther King Jr. was alive. She founded a production company called Higher Ground Productions. King died late Tuesday in Santa Monica, Calif., at age 51. The play was directed towards teens and focused on the 10th year reunion of six high school friends. "We must keep reaching across the table and, in the tradition of Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, feed each other," said Yolanda, urging those who honor the Kings' work to question their own beliefs on prejudice and be a personal force for peace and love. [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]. She became an actress, ran a production company and appeared in numerous films, including "Ghosts of Mississippi," and as Rosa Parks in the 1978 miniseries "King.". 683 Yolanda King Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images CREATIVE EDITORIAL VIDEO All Sports Entertainment News Archival Browse 683 yolanda king stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. When the Associated Press asked how she was dealing with her mother's death, she said(via NPR), "I connected with her spirit so strongly. [90] King joined the rest of her family in February 1997, in advocating a retrial for James Earl Ray, the man convicted of her father's murder, having realized that "without our direct involvement, the truth will never come out. This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial. Three officers shot, standoff follows in Kansas City, Mo., police say, Vanessa Bryant, family settles claims over Kobe crash site photos for $28.5M, Flying bug found at Walmart turns out to be rare Jurassic-era insect, Pennsylvania police seized gloves, flashlight from home of Idaho murders suspect, CDC warns drug-resistant stomach bug a "serious public health threat". [106] She became a spokesperson for the American Heart Association after her mother's stroke, promoting a campaign to raise awareness about strokes. Yolanda King: 'We will fulfil my grandfather's dream' The granddaughter of Martin Luther King Jr speaks at the 2020 March on Washington. She reflected "I had never read his works. [120] She also advocated for her father's holiday to be used as a day for helping others, and also expressed dissatisfaction on the basis of people relaxing on his day. In fact, she proved that the smile was more powerful and sweeter because it had to press itself through mournfulness to be seen, force itself through cruelty to show that the light of survival shines for us all." Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. [104] She was hospitalized on August 16, 2005,[105] and was set to come home as well. [79] King stressed in 1992 that love would help people make their mark on the world. King called her father's name and having to live up to it a "challenge" and recalled a friend when she first met a friend of hers, who believed she could not say anything to King but after beginning to know her, realized that she was "no worse than my other friends" and she "could say anything" to her. "She was a warm and gentle person and was thoroughly committed to the movement and found her own means of expressing that commitment through drama. Father's death: 1968 Teenage years and high school: 1968-1972 Early adulthood College: 1972-1976 . The pair performed in around 50 cities a year and did lectures together, typically in school settings. She allowed me to give myself permission to be me." 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. Martin Luther King Jr.'s eldest child who pursued her father's dream of racial harmony through drama and motivational speaking, collapsed and died after making a speech . It was the first time she had ever been arrested. The "commitment" to diverse members in the audience and the play itself, was what represented the opportunities for which King fought. The four King children gathered at the February 2006 funeral of their mother, Coretta Scott King. When her father was assassinated on April 4, 1968, the 12-year-old King showed her composure during the public funeral and mourning events. From left: Dexter King, the Rev. Yolanda Denise King nicknamed Yoki by the family was born Nov. 17, 1955, in Montgomery, Ala., where her father was then preaching. She wore the mantle of princess, and she wore it with dignity and charm," said the Rev. [119] She made it clear that month that she was not trying to fill her father's footsteps, noting jokingly that "They're too big" and that she would "fall and break [her] neck". CDC warns drug-resistant stomach bug a "serious public health threat" [18] In 1964, upon learning her father would receive the Nobel Peace Prize, she asked her mother what her father was going to do with the money he was receiving in addition to the award. The death comes just over a year after the death of her mother, Coretta Scott King a civil rights leader in her own right at the age of 78, of complications from ovarian cancer, and after a battle with the effects from a stroke. [35], In regards to the possibility that her father could have been saved, King said she doubted that her father could have lived much longer given all the stress he had during his tenure as a leader of the Civil Rights Movement. To Yolanda, it seemed as if adults naturally went to jail occasionally, because all those she knew seemed to do that. 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. Being the oldest, she had to watch her three younger siblings; Martin Luther King III, Dexter King and Bernice King and referred to the three as independent when she watched them whenever their mother went out of town. Information about the death of Yolanda King; Cause of death: Heart Attack: Age of death: 51 years: Profession: Civil Rights Leader: Birthday: November 17, 1955: Death date: March 15, 2007: Place of death: N/A: Place of burial: N/A: Quotes. Al Sharpton , U.S.. The civil rights leader and wife Coretta Scott King were parents to four kids: sons Martin Luther King III, 65, and Dexter, 61, and daughters Yolanda and Bernice, 59. King was cremated,[115] in accordance with her wishes. . Supervisor Kenneth Hahn said to King that he "sensed I was in the presence of a great man when I met your father. hide caption. ", The Rev. [58] Despite some early opposition to acting that she received during her controversial play in high school, King still tried to get roles and actively tried performing. I was a high-school junior when Martin Luther King was assassinated. Like Jackie Kennedy before her, Coretta Scott King sat still and composed as all around her wept. 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). Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who melded her father's. She wore the mantle of princess, and she wore it with dignity and charm," Lowery said. Funeral arrangements would be announced later, the family said in a brief statement. Higher Ground Productions: www.yolanda-king.com, Yolanda King, daughter of MLK Jr., dies at 51. [77] On January 17, 1991, Yolanda spoke before a crowd of students at Edmonds Community College, around 200 in number. Yolanda, Martin, Dexter and Bernice King lost their father. Martin Luther King Jr. was killed on a hotel balcony in Memphis. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. [39] On April 4, 1970, the second anniversary of her father's death, she and her sister Bernice attended their grandfather Martin Luther King, Sr.'s silent prayer for their father at his gravesite. Death 15 May 2007 (aged 51) Santa Monica, Los Angeles County, California, USA. "[72] 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. The next year, Ms. Kings uncle A. D. King, her fathers sole brother, accidentally drowned. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Rest in peace Yoki! Yolanda, King's nine-year-old granddaughter, made headlines just last month with her rousing speech at the March for Our Lives rally in Washington. Leading up to her death, she was still active in the public eye. [81] In October, King gave support for a Cabrini-Green family that wants to escape the violence, and a fundraiser for their cause. She just moved upstairs." She died on May 15, 2007 in Santa Monica, California, USA. Bernice King, Martin Luther King III and Yolanda King participate in a musical tribute to their mother at the new Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. After having been a public speaker for over twenty years, Yolanda recalled her talents having "happened very naturally growing up in a house like mine". Bernice King at Yolanda King Memorial May 24, 2007 DryerBuzz An Original Digital 2.67K subscribers 309K views 15 years ago When Bernice brings the word, let's just say the word is delivered.. The flag at The King Center, where she was a board member, flew at half-staff on today. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Martin Luther King Jr. , Rev. #inline-recirc-item--id-93e66a4a-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d, #right-rail-recirc-item--id-93e66a4a-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d { "Daughters of M.L. King became a human rights activist and actress. I am in direct contact with her spirit, and that has given me so much peace and so much strength. November 28, 2007 . She received a standing ovation afterwards, alongside a thunderous applause. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Maya Angelou wrote a tribute to her, which was read during the memorial service. . In response, she pushed for "the goal" to be "color acceptance. As an actress, she appeared in numerous films and even played civil rights heroine Rosa Parks in the 1978 miniseries "King." She debunked complacency in having any role in progression of her father's dream. "We must keep reaching across the table and, in the tradition of Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, feed each other," King said. Yolanda King was born November 17, 1955, shortly before the Montgomery Bus Boycott. We had cups of tea because it was so frigid that night, and then they were gone. Yolanda King, the eldest child of the Rev. / CBS/AP. She called for Americans to memorialize those who gave their lives for "the struggle for peace and justice. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Coretta Scott King began to decline in health after suffering a stroke in August 2005. King's mother, Coretta Scott King, suffered a stroke before her death from cancer in 2006. Yolanda King, who lived in California, was an actress, ran a production company and appeared in numerous films, including "Ghosts of Mississippi." She played Rosa Parks in the 1978 miniseries "King." [86], On February 1, 1994, King attempted to speak before a diverse class of students at North Central College. [25] Her memories of her father prompted her to state that he "believed we were all divine. She held membership at the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, which her father helped found in 1957, and she was a notable advocate for non-violence. [82], 25 years after her father's assassination, she went to his gravesite. Yolanda King: 'Open My Eyes, Open My Soul'. Her career in acting kept her in the realm of civil rights. 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. She died on May 15, 2007 in Santa Monica, California, USA. Please enter valid email address to continue. Yolanda, from your one and only, I thank you for being a sister and for being a friend." Oliver Lang/AFP/Getty Images ", "Yolanda never wavered from a commitment to nonviolent social change and justice for all," he said. 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.". Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who melded her fathers message of racial equality and nonviolence with her own calling as an actor and a motivational speaker, died on Tuesday in Santa Monica, Calif. She was 51. Al Sharpton, a black political leader, said he expressed his condolences to her brother Martin Luther King III on Wednesday. [65] In 1984, she was arrested in the view of her mother for having protested in front of the South African Embassy, in support of anti-apartheid views. In an interview with The Baltimore Sun in 1998, Ms. King said acting had liberated her, not least the parts unrelated to her family history. Former Mayor Andrew Young, a lieutenant of her father's who has remained close to the family, said Yolanda King had just spoken at an event for the American Heart Association. [48] Despite statements such as these, King did not become aware of the public discomfort with her role until years later, citing her mother's involvement in her knowledge of the criticism.[49]. She returned to Smith College on January 26, 1989. "[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. In 1979, Yolanda met Attallah Shabazz, the eldest daughter of Malcolm X,[60] after arrangements had been made by Ebony Magazine to take a photograph of the two women together. Below, she speaks at a 2000 Human Rights Campaign gala. Market data provided by Factset. After her hour-long presentation, she joined her sister and her aunt, Christine King Farris, in signing books. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. "[109] She found her mother's personal papers in her home. 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. Yolanda King, the Rev. Coretta had a blood clot move from her heart and lodge in an artery in her brain. "She was the first daughter of the civil rights movement and never shamed her parents or her co-activists.". Prior to the film's release, King expressed belief in children of the time knowing that "Martin Luther King Jr. was killed, but when it is time to talk about the facts and the history, there is not a lot of knowledge. 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. She was helping the association raise awareness, especially among blacks, about stroke. [24] In February 1982, King was a speaker during the centennial of Anne Spencer's birth. [28] An alumna of Smith College after graduating in 1976, she was the subject of an essay among the "remarkable women" during a celebration during the college's one hundred and twenty-fifth year[56] and she was a member of the board of directors of the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, Inc. (the official national memorial to her father) and was founding Director of the King Center's Cultural Affairs Program. King also voiced her dislike of the assumption that she would behave just like her mother and father, and the difficulty of being perceived as not being someone others could talk to. It's often hard for young people to understand the fear and terror so many people felt and how bold they were to get involved in the marches. [71] She also was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. When he did, she would play and swim with him. [103] King was having a conversation with her mother in her home when she stopped talking. She also urged the audience at Ebenezer to be a force for peace and love, and to use the King holiday each year in January to ask tough questions about their own beliefs on prejudice. She was helping the association raise awareness, especially among blacks, about stroke. [57] Her mother's support helped in starting her acting career. Being a busy woman, her brother merely treated it as one of her hectic schedules. [33] Bill Cosby flew to Atlanta after the funeral and entertained King and her siblings. They look at me when I'm talking as if this is science fiction. She was also on the student council. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. "[24] King appeared in the film Selma, Lord, Selma, based on the 1965 Selma to Montgomery marches as Miss Bright. We cannot be satisfied with a few black faces in high places when millions of our people have been locked out." Klein said the family did not know the cause of death but that relatives think it might have been a heart problem. Davis said Houston heart association officials have received no specific information on the cause of King's death but added that King had a family history of heart disease and stroke. [3] Yolanda and her mother were not harmed. Positive reception came to this interview, and Yolanda was even called the "leader of the 16-year-olds" for her "calmness, her concern," and "her vision". [125] She stated at the Chicago's Out and Equal Workplace Summit in 2006 "If you are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender, you do not have the same rights as other Americans, you cannot marry, you still face discrimination in the workplace, and in our armed forces. In the early hours of May 19, 2007, King's body was brought to Atlanta, Georgia by private plane belonging to Bishop Eddie Long. Martin Luther King Jr., has died, said Steve Klein, a spokesman for the King Center. [24], On May 15, 2007, King told her brother Dexter, that she was tired, though he thought nothing of it because of her "hectic" schedule. Yolanda died in May. The four King children gathered at the February 2006 funeral of their mother, Coretta Scott King. May 24, 2007 #1 A friend of mines sent me these photos, so I cannot verify the authenticity.I think she looks beautiful. [15], On November 22, 1963, when U.S. President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, she learned of his death at school. She served on the Partnership Council of Habitat for Humanity, was the first national Ambassador for the American Stroke Association's "Power to End Stroke" Campaign, a member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, a sponsor of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, Human Rights Campaign, and held a lifetime membership in the NAACP. There, she joined hands with her siblings and mother along with other civil rights activists, singing We Shall Overcome. The next-youngest, Dexter, leaned silently against his mother's side. After the move, she founded Higher Ground Productions where she produced and starred in a myriad of films. 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". 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