Alveda King facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alveda King
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| Member of the Georgia House of Representatives from the 28th district |
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| In office 1979–1983 |
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| Preceded by | Virginia Shapard |
| Succeeded by | Bob Holmes |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Alveda Celeste King
January 22, 1951 Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican (1990s–present) |
| Other political affiliations |
Democratic (c. 1970s–1990s) |
| Spouses | Eddie Clifford Beal (divorced) Jerry Ellis (divorced) Israel Tookes (divorced) |
| Children | 6 |
| Parents | Alfred Daniel King Naomi Ruth Barber |
| Relatives | Alberta Williams King (paternal grandmother) Martin Luther King Sr. (paternal grandfather) Martin Luther King Jr. (paternal uncle) Christine King Farris (paternal aunt) Yolanda King (paternal first cousin) Dexter King (paternal first cousin) Bernice King (paternal first cousin) Martin Luther King III (paternal first cousin) Angela Stanton-King (goddaughter) |
| Education | Central Michigan University (MA) |
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Alveda Celeste King (born January 22, 1951) is an American activist and author. She also served as a state representative for the 28th District in the Georgia House of Representatives.
Alveda King is the niece of famous civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.. Her father, A. D. King, was also a civil rights activist. She has worked as a commentator for Fox News Channel. She is also the founder of Alveda King Ministries.
Contents
Early Life and Family History
Alveda King was born in Atlanta, Georgia. She was the first of five children. Her father, A. D. King, was the younger brother of Martin Luther King Jr.. Her mother was Naomi Barber King.
Alveda King shared that her mother thought about not having her so she could finish college. But her grandfather convinced her to keep the baby. When Alveda was 12, her father became a leader in the Birmingham campaign. This was a major part of the civil rights movement. He was a pastor at a church in Ensley, near Birmingham, Alabama. Later that year, people who were against the civil rights movement bombed the King family's house.
In 1969, her father, A. D. King, was found dead in his swimming pool. His death was officially called an accidental drowning.
Martin Luther King Sr., Alveda's grandfather, wrote about his son's death. He said Alveda had been talking with her father the night before. Her father seemed quiet and not very interested in the TV movie they were watching. Alveda left him watching TV when she went to bed. Martin Luther King Sr. had questions about A. D.'s death. He wondered why his son, a good swimmer, would drown. He wrote that he still didn't know what happened.
Education and Learning
Alveda King studied journalism and sociology in college. She earned a Master of Arts degree in business management from Central Michigan University. She also received special honorary degrees from other universities. These include an honorary doctorate from Saint Anselm College. She also earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Theology from Aidan University.
Serving in Public Office
From 1979 to 1982, Alveda King was a representative in the Georgia House of Representatives. She represented the 28th District, which included Fulton County. During this time, she was a member of the Democratic Party.
In 1984, King ran for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. She wanted to represent Georgia's 5th congressional district. She ran against the person already holding the seat, Wyche Fowler. Other candidates also ran in the primary election.
Coretta Scott King, Alveda's aunt, did not support her niece in this election. Alveda King did not win the election. This was the last time she ran for an elected position. She has since said that she has been both a Democrat and a Republican. Today, she identifies simply as a Christian.
In 2018, President Donald Trump nominated King to be a member of the Frederick Douglass Bicentennial Commission.
Involvement in Presidential Politics
In 1984, Alveda King supported Reverend Jesse Jackson when he ran for president.
In 2012, King supported Herman Cain for president. She also helped start a group called Women for Cain.
King voted for Donald Trump in the 2016 United States presidential election. She stated that she prayed for leaders to work together. For the 2020 United States presidential election, King was part of the advisory board for Black Voices for Trump.
Views and Activism
Alveda King is known as one of the most important Black figures in the American religious right.
Speaking at the "Restoring Honor" Rally
King spoke at Glenn Beck's Restoring Honor rally in August 2010. This event took place at the Lincoln Memorial. In her speech, she expressed hope that "white privilege will become human privilege." She also hoped that America would stop racism and return to honor.
Views on Same-Sex Marriage
Alveda King has spoken out against same-sex marriage. In 2010, she said that same-sex marriage could lead to the destruction of the traditional idea of marriage. In a 2015 essay, she wrote that "life is a human and civil right, so is procreative marriage." She believes people should learn about God's plan for marriage, starting from the Bible.
Personal Life
Alveda King is African-American. She has been married and divorced three times. Her first husband was Eddie Clifford Beal, her second was Jerry Ellis, and her third was Israel Tookes. She has six children.
King has claimed that her novel, The Arab Heart, was copied in the 1988 film Coming to America.
Published Works
Alveda King has written several books:
- For generations to come: Poetry by Alveda King Beal (1986)
- The Arab Heart (1986)
- I Don't Want Your Man, I Want My Own (2001)
- Sons of Thunder: The King Family Legacy (2003)
- Who We Are in Christ Jesus (2008)
- King Rules: Ten Truths for You, Your Family, and Our Nation to Prosper (2014)
- King Truths: 21 Keys To Unlocking Your Spiritual Potential (2018)
- Why Trump? Memoirs of a Journey of Faith, Hope and Love (2020)
- We're Not Color Blind: Healing the Racial Divide (2020) (co-authored with Ginger Howard)
King also produced a musical CD called Let Freedom Ring in 2005. She has appeared in films and on television. She was featured in The Human Experience, a 2010 documentary film. She also helped produce the video "Latter Rain" (2005) and co-executive-produced Pray for America (2015).
King played Gaylee's mother in an episode of In the Heat of the Night called "Fifteen Forever." This episode first aired on April 25, 1989.
See also
In Spanish: Alveda King para niños
- Christine King Farris
- List of African-American Republicans
- Black conservatism in the United States
