By John Beifuss | Memphis Commercial Appeal | Apr. 1, 2024 | Photo Courtesy of Associated Press
Martin Luther King III, the eldest son and second of the four children of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., will be the speaker at a free public celebration of his father's life and legacy on April 4 in the plaza of the National Civil Rights Museum, near the balcony where his father was slain by an assassin's bullet on that date in 1968.
The name of the event is "Remembering MLK: The Man. The Movement. The Moment." King, 66, the former president of the Atlanta-based Southern Christian Leadership Conference (his father was the founding president), will be joined by his wife, Arndrea Waters King, and daughter, Yolanda Renee King.
According to the museum's website, the event will be an occasion "to reflect on the significant impact of Dr. King's work and the path that lies ahead in the pursuit of justice and equality."
The commemoration is set to begin at 4:30 p.m. and end with a moment of silence at about 6:05 p.m. — the time when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was shot and killed outside his room at the Lorraine Motel, which was preserved in the construction of the civil rights museum, which opened in 1991. In addition, the annual placement of a new wreath on the balcony outside King's room, Room 306, will take place.
The celebration will include performances by winners of the Youth Poetry and Spoken Word competitions, in addition to music and tributes by various speakers.
Martin Luther King III was 10 years old when his father was murdered. He followed in his father's footsteps as a peace and civil rights activist, and has participated in such events as "Ministers March for Justice," a 2017 protest that brought close to 3,000 people to Washington in opposition to the policies of President Donald Trump, and a 2023 national bus tour to safeguard voting rights. He also was a speaker at the 2009 memorial service for singer Michael Jackson that was held in the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
The other surviving child of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is Bernice King, 60, a lawyer and minister. King's other son, Dexter King, died Jan. 22 at 62, and his other daughter, Yolanda King, died at 51 in 2007.
For more information, visit civilrightsmuseum.org.
