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Daughter of Martin Luther King Jr. dies
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By ERRIN HAINES, Associated Press Writer 2 minutes ago
ATLANTA - Yolanda King, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s eldest child
who pursued her father's dream of racial harmony through drama and
motivational speaking, collapsed and died. She was 51.
King died late Tuesday in Santa Monica, Calif., said Steve Klein, a
spokesman for the King Center. The family did not know the cause of
death, but relatives think it might have been a heart problem, he
said.
"She was an actress, author, producer, advocate for peace and
nonviolence, who was known and loved for her motivational and
inspirational contributions to society," the King family said in a
statement.
Former Mayor Andrew Young, a lieutenant of her father's who has
remained close to the family, said King was going to her brother
Dexter's home when she collapsed in the doorway.
Her death came less than a year and a half after her mother, Coretta
Scott King, died in January 2006 after battling ovarian cancer and the
effects of a stroke. Her struggle prompted her daughter to work with
the
American Heart Association to raise awareness about strokes,
especially among blacks.
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."
"Yolanda was lovely. She wore the mantle of princess, and she wore it
with dignity and charm," said the Rev. Joseph Lowery, one of her
father's close aides in the civil rights movement. He added she was
"thoroughly committed to the movement and found her own means of
expressing that commitment through drama."
The Rev.
Jesse Jackson, who also worked with her father, said: "She lived with
a lot of the trauma of our struggle. The movement was in her DNA." The
Rev.
Al Sharpton called her a "torch bearer for her parents and a committed
activist in her own right."
White House press secretary Tony Snow said
President Bush and the first lady were sad to learn of King's death,
adding, "Our thoughts are with the King family today."
Yolanda King founded and led Higher Ground Productions, billed as a
"gateway for inner peace, unity and global transformation." On her
company's Web site, she described her mission as encouraging personal
growth and positive social change.
The flag at The King Center, where she was a board member, flew at
half-staff on Wednesday.
Yolanda Denise King
ADVERTISEMENT <Ethics and character improvement training course in
Atlanta>
By ERRIN HAINES, Associated Press Writer 2 minutes ago
ATLANTA - Yolanda King, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s eldest child
who pursued her father's dream of racial harmony through drama and
motivational speaking, collapsed and died. She was 51.
King died late Tuesday in Santa Monica, Calif., said Steve Klein, a
spokesman for the King Center. The family did not know the cause of
death, but relatives think it might have been a heart problem, he
said.
"She was an actress, author, producer, advocate for peace and
nonviolence, who was known and loved for her motivational and
inspirational contributions to society," the King family said in a
statement.
Former Mayor Andrew Young, a lieutenant of her father's who has
remained close to the family, said King was going to her brother
Dexter's home when she collapsed in the doorway.
Her death came less than a year and a half after her mother, Coretta
Scott King, died in January 2006 after battling ovarian cancer and the
effects of a stroke. Her struggle prompted her daughter to work with
the
American Heart Association to raise awareness about strokes,
especially among blacks.
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."
"Yolanda was lovely. She wore the mantle of princess, and she wore it
with dignity and charm," said the Rev. Joseph Lowery, one of her
father's close aides in the civil rights movement. He added she was
"thoroughly committed to the movement and found her own means of
expressing that commitment through drama."
The Rev.
Jesse Jackson, who also worked with her father, said: "She lived with
a lot of the trauma of our struggle. The movement was in her DNA." The
Rev.
Al Sharpton called her a "torch bearer for her parents and a committed
activist in her own right."
White House press secretary Tony Snow said
President Bush and the first lady were sad to learn of King's death,
adding, "Our thoughts are with the King family today."
Yolanda King founded and led Higher Ground Productions, billed as a
"gateway for inner peace, unity and global transformation." On her
company's Web site, she described her mission as encouraging personal
growth and positive social change.
The flag at The King Center, where she was a board member, flew at
half-staff on Wednesday.
Yolanda Denise King
