Dexter King memorial service set for Ebenezer

The memorial service for Dexter Scott King, will be held at Ebenezer Baptist Church on Feb. 10 at 6:30 p.m. The King family has announced that the event will be open to the public and live streamed through The King Center.

The third of Coretta and Martin Luther King Jr.’s four children, Dexter passed away at the age of 62 in his California home on Jan. 22, 2024, after a three-year battle with prostate cancer. As per his wishes, his body has been cremated.

The memorial service serves as a moment to honor Dexter’s contributions and the enduring legacy of the King family at Ebenezer Baptist Church, a place deeply intertwined with the history of the civil rights movement and the King family’s heritage.

Although Dexter King had retreated from the public eye in the last decade, he was once the highest-profile King heir, serving as both chairman of The King Center’s board of trustees and CEO of the King Estate. The memorial service at Ebenezer Baptist Church, located in the Martin Luther King Jr. Historic District, pays tribute to his significant role in managing his father’s legacy, often amidst controversy.

Ebenezer Baptist Church, founded in 1886 on Atlanta’s historic Auburn Avenue, is one of the oldest and most important Black churches in America. Dexter’s family has been deeply involved in its development and growth for generations.

The church holds historical significance, as his father, Martin Luther King Jr., was baptized and preached there. King Sr., King Jr., and other family members played pivotal roles in the church’s leadership for 81 years. The Rev. Adam D. Williams, Dexter’s maternal great-grandfather, became the pastor in 1894, and under his leadership, the church experienced significant growth. The Late Gothic Revival-style church, completed in 1922, stands as a symbol of the King family’s long-standing connection to Ebenezer. Martin Luther King Sr., King Jr.’s grandfather, continued the legacy by advocating for voting rights in Atlanta.

Following the tragic murder of King Sr.’s wife in the church in 1974, and King Jr.’s assassination in 1968, the church underwent changes in leadership. In 1999, led by the Rev. Joseph Roberts, the congregation moved to the Horizon Sanctuary across the street, preserving the original church, now part of the National Historical Site operated by the National Park Service. The church is currently pastored by the Honorable Rev. Raphael Warnock who serves as the Senior Pastor and the junior United States Senator from Georgia.