Martin Luther King Jr’s youngest son, Dexter Scott King, passed away on Monday, January 22, 2024, at the age of 62. He died peacefully in his sleep at his home in Malibu, California, with his wife Leah Weber King by his side. He had been battling prostate cancer for a long time.
Dexter Scott King was named after the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Alabama, where his father once served as pastor. He was only seven years old when his father was assassinated in 1968. As an adult, he worked as the chairman of The King Center and the president of the King Estate, focusing on preserving and promoting his father’s legacy and protecting the King family’s intellectual property.
Dexter Scott King had no children. He is survived by his wife, his brother Martin Luther King III, and his sister Bernice King. His other sister, Yolanda King, died in 2007. The King family and the King Center have asked for prayers and privacy during this difficult time.
