David Barksdale facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
David Barksdale
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|---|---|
| Born |
Donise David Barksdale
May 24, 1947 Sallis, Mississippi, U.S.
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| Died | September 2, 1974 (aged 27) Chicago, Illinois. U.S.
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| Resting place | Restvale Cemetery, Alsip, Illinois, U.S. |
| Other names | King David Chairman of the Board David Jones |
| Known for | Street gang leader (Chicago) |
| Spouse(s) |
Yvonne Yarber
(m. 1972–1974) |
| Children | 3 |
David Barksdale (born Donise David Barksdale; May 24, 1947 – September 2, 1974), also known as King David, was an American activist from Chicago, Illinois.
Biography
Born Donise David Barksdale in Sallis, Mississippi to parents Virginia and Charlie Barksdale, he was the tenth of thirteen children. His family moved to Chicago, Illinois, in 1957.
Barksdale was the founder of the Black Disciples. He was seen as a hero in the black community because he operated a free breakfast program in Englewood to poor children and he and the disciples marched with Martin Luther King Jr in Marquette Park. He was a close friend of Fred Hampton and the Chicago Black Panther party.
Death and legacy
On September 2, 1974, Barksdale died from kidney failure, at the age of 27. He was survived by his three children; David, Melinda and Ronnie Barksdale and wife Yvonne Barksdale (née Yarber). She died three years later in June 1977.
Barksdale is still revered by the Black Disciples. Every year there is a birthday celebration in his honor. In 2008, there was a parade that was sponsored and supported by the Black Disciples organization.
