Martin Luther King III facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Martin Luther King III
King in 2023
4th President of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference
In office 1997–2004
Preceded by	Joseph Lowery
Succeeded by	Fred Shuttlesworth
Personal details
Born	(1957-10-23) October 23, 1957 (age 67) Montgomery, Alabama, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Arndrea Waters ​ (m. 2006)​
Children	Yolanda Renee King
Parents	Martin Luther King Jr. Coretta Scott King
Relatives	Yolanda King (sister) Dexter King (brother) Bernice King (sister) Alveda King (cousin) Edythe Scott Bagley (maternal aunt) Christine King Farris (paternal aunt) Martin Luther King Sr. (grandfather)
Education	Morehouse College (BA)

Martin Luther King III, born on October 23, 1957, is an American activist who works for human rights. He is also a philanthropist, which means he gives money and time to help others. He is the oldest son of famous civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King.

From 1997 to 2004, he was the fourth president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). This was an important group that fought for equal rights. As of 2025, he teaches at the University of Virginia.

Early Life and Education

Martin Luther King III was born in Montgomery, Alabama. His mother, Coretta Scott King, worried about naming him after his famous father. She thought it might be a heavy burden for him. But his father, Martin Luther King Jr., really wanted his son to have his name.

King III has three siblings: Yolanda, Dexter, and Bernice. They grew up in Vine City, a neighborhood in Atlanta, Georgia. When he was eight, a boy in his class made mean comments about his race. King III stopped the harassment by complimenting the boy's drawings.

King III was ten years old when his father was sadly killed. Before his father's death, a trust fund was set up for King III and his siblings. He went to Spring Street Elementary School. After his father passed away, he moved to The Galloway School.

In 1979, King III earned a degree in political science from Morehouse College. This is the same college his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather attended. He also joined the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, just like his father.

Adult Life and Public Service

Martin Luther King III has spent his adult life working for justice and equality. In 1985, he was arrested with his mother and sister. They were protesting against apartheid in South Africa. Apartheid was a system of unfair racial separation.

In 1986, he ran for the Fulton County County Commission. This made him the first in his immediate family to get directly involved in politics. He won the election and served from 1987 to 1993.

King III has always spoken out against serious punishments. In 1989, he said that if we believed in "an eye for an eye," many people would be hurt. He also helped create the Estate of Martin Luther King Jr. Inc. This company manages his father's image and writings.

In 2009, King III and his wife visited India. They followed in the footsteps of his parents, who had visited 50 years earlier. In India, he learned about Mahatma Gandhi's life. He also spoke out against war and violence.

King in 2012

In recent years, King III has continued to advocate for justice. In 2019 and 2020, he asked officials in Texas and Alabama to stop serious punishments for certain people.

Working with President Barack Obama

In 2008, Martin Luther King III spoke at the Democratic National Convention. This was a big event where Barack Obama was chosen to run for president. It was also 45 years after his father's famous "I Have a Dream" speech.

King III said his father would be proud of Obama and the country. But he also reminded everyone that his father's dream was not fully achieved. He said there was still work to do to improve healthcare, education, and justice for everyone.

In 2009, on the national holiday honoring his father, King III joined Obama. They helped paint and fix up a shelter for homeless teens. This was part of a nationwide day of community service.

Southern Christian Leadership Conference

In 1997, King III was chosen to lead the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). This is the civil rights group his father helped start. As president, King III worked to fight against police unfairness. He also helped create new local chapters of the group.

Under his leadership, the SCLC held meetings about police actions. They also organized a rally for the 37th anniversary of the "I Have a Dream" speech. A big success was changing the Georgia state flag. The old flag had a large symbol from the Confederate side of the Civil War.

King III faced some challenges during his time leading the SCLC. In 2001, the group briefly suspended him. They were concerned he wasn't active enough. But he was quickly put back in charge after promising to do more. He then made a plan to strengthen the organization.

Drum Major Institute

King III is the Chairman of the Drum Major Institute. This group was started in 1999. Its goal is to promote Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s vision. This vision is a world free from racism, poverty, and violence.

King III explained that the institute works to get rid of "the triple evils." These are poverty, racism, and violence. He believes that peace, justice, and fairness help achieve this goal.

King Center and Family Matters

In 2006, King III started an organization called Realizing The Dream. In 2008, he led a march in Memphis, Tennessee. This was 40 years after his father's death. He visited the Lorraine Motel, where his father was shot. He asked people to continue his father's fight against poverty.

Working with Siblings

For a time, King III and his siblings had disagreements about their family's legacy. In 2008, King III and his sister Bernice filed a lawsuit against their brother Dexter. They accused him of mismanaging money from their mother's estate. Dexter then filed his own lawsuit against them.

Critics worried that these lawsuits went against their father's message of peace. But King III said it was part of his history of using negotiation and nonviolent action. He pointed out that his father also used the court system.

In 2009, the siblings settled their lawsuits outside of court. By 2010, they had reconciled. Martin Luther King III, Dexter, and Bernice released a joint statement. They announced that Martin Luther King III was re-elected as president and CEO of The King Center.

Dexter King said it was the "right time" for Martin to lead the organization. Bernice King was proud that they were "speaking with one voice." Martin King III confirmed they were "definitely working together."

As president of The King Center, King III has done important work. He started the "King Center Imaging Project." This project is digitizing thousands of his father's documents. These include speeches, sermons, and letters. They are being made available online for everyone to see. He also launched a project to save and digitize thousands of hours of audio and video of his father.

Recent Activities

In August 2010, King III joined other civil rights leaders. They took part in the 'Reclaim the Dream' march. This march marked 47 years since the historic Great March on Washington. They spoke about their father's dream and the need for justice.

In 2011, King III helped lead protests against laws that hurt workers' rights. He spoke to a large crowd in Atlanta. He urged them to protect the rights of teachers, bus drivers, and other public workers.

In 2014, King III spoke about the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. He attended a rally with Michael Brown's parents. He said his father would be "greatly disappointed" by the violence that followed.

King III is also a co-founder of Bounce TV. This is a digital broadcasting network for Black audiences. He serves on the Board of Advisors for Let America Vote. This group works to stop anything that makes it harder for people to vote.

In 2021, King III endorsed Andrew Yang for mayor of New York City. He praised Yang's plan to provide a guaranteed minimum income. This was something King III's father had also wanted.

Realizing the Dream Initiative

In January 2024, on what would have been his father's 95th birthday, the National Football League (NFL) announced a big commitment. They partnered with the Martin Luther King III Foundation and a charity called Legacy+. This partnership is called Realizing the Dream.

The initiative asks young people, teachers, and communities to do 100 million hours of community service. The goal is to reach this by Martin Luther King Jr.'s 100th birthday in 2029. King III appeared at an NFL game to talk about the project. He said his father wanted to end poverty, racism, and violence. He also believed in people coming together, even if they disagreed.

Other sports teams, like the Cincinnati Reds and the Washington Wizards, have also joined the Realizing the Dream initiative.

King III and his wife, Arndrea Waters King, wrote a book with Craig and Marc Kielburger. It is titled What Is My Legacy?: Realizing a New Dream of Connection, Love and Fulfillment. The book includes contributions from many famous people.

In January 2025, a new podcast series called My Legacy was launched. It is hosted by Martin Luther King III, Arndrea Waters King, and the Kielburger brothers. The podcast features guests who discuss their lives and legacies.

Family Life

In May 2006, Martin Luther King III married his longtime partner, Arndrea Waters. On May 25, 2008, they had a daughter named Yolanda Renee King. She is the first and only grandchild of Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King.

Yolanda Renee was named after her aunt, Yolanda King, who had passed away the year before. When she was nine years old, Yolanda Renee King spoke at the March for Our Lives demonstration in Washington, D.C., in 2018.

King is joined by his daughter Yolanda at the 2023 unveiling of The Embrace sculpture in Boston

Honors and Awards

Martin Luther King III has received many honors for his work.

• In 2006, he presented the ceremonial coin at Super Bowl XL.
• In 2008, he threw out the first pitch at the Major League Baseball Civil Rights Game.
• In 2010, he received the Ramakrishna Bajaj Memorial Global Award in India. This was for his great work in promoting human rights.
• In 2015, he was given the Humanitarian Award by the Montreal Black Film Festival.

See also

In Spanish: Martin Luther King III para niños