Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated by a gunman named James Earl Ray on April 4, 1968, while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis. Shortly after completing school, Williams and King announced their engagement during Sunday services at Ebenezer Baptist Church. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. Sadly, the King familys tragedies didnt end there and Alberta Williams King would soon meet the same fate as her son. Just 6 years prior in 1968, Mrs. Kings son, MLK Jr., was assassinated and the very next year, her other son, Rev. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. Sources . A.D. King who was also a civil rights activist- mysteriously drowned in a pooleven though he was a highly skilled swimmer. She was also a talented musician who served as the choir organist and director at Ebenezer, which may have contributed to the respect her son had for the Black arts. Alberta would serve as the organizer and president of the Ebenezer Womens Committee from 1950 to 1962. background:#0e0e0e; .social-icon i.fa:hover{ font-size:14px; African American History: Research Guides & Websites, Global African History: Research Guides & Websites, African American Scientists and Technicians of the Manhattan Project, Envoys, Diplomatic Ministers, & Ambassadors, https://www.atlantamagazine.com/civilrights/the-murder-of-alberta-king/, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/01/martin-luther-kings-mother-slain-in-church-1974, https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/encyclopedia/king-alberta-williams, Foundation, Organization, and Corporate Supporters. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. As a mother, Alberta worked diligently to instill a sense of self-respect within her three children. color:#606060; Mrs. King, 70, died later that day. } .woocommerce-product-gallery{ opacity: 1 !important; } King was in Memphis to lead a march in support of the local sanitation workers' union. Its not just a friendly favor. Alfred Daniel Williams King (July 30, 1930 July 21, 1969), known as A. D. King, was the younger brother of Martin Luther King, Jr., the famed leader of the American Civil Rights Movement. In spite of her relatively comfortable circumstances, my mother never complacently adjusted herself to the system of segregation, Martin Luther King Jr. wrote, according to the, How Alberta Williams King Died At The Hands Of A Gunman. .page-template-magazine-template.page .header-style-one .header #main-menu-wrapper a#pull:before { } li.mega-sub-item> ul.sub-menu >li >a:hover, li.mega-sub-item> ul.sub-menu >li >a:focus, She instilled a sense of self-respect in all of her children from the very beginning.. Martin Luther King Sr., mother of Alfred Daniel Williams King I (1930), Willie Christine King Farris (1927), and Rev. He said that [he] was a college kid who didnt know anything,, a week after Mrs. Kings murder. Boykin was pronounced dead on arrival. color:#f4c85e; Embed from Getty Imageswindow.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'gIwAJmzeQiVNZH2rUnBrCQ',sig:'1yEq5wZ44mB7e5fiBFMGlgrgFfc1XgltTVHyYao0xSM=',w:'594px',h:'432px',items:'836911162',caption: false ,tld:'com',is360: false })}); After losing two sons and his wife, King Sr. was exhausted and in extreme pain, but determined to remain strong for his deceased family. By the end of this period, Martin Luther King Sr. and Jr. were joint pastors of the church. } We collect and match historical records that Ancestry users have contributed to their family trees to create each person's profile. letter-spacing:0.7px; [4] She taught for a short time before their Thanksgiving Day 1926 wedding, but she had to quit because the local school board prohibited married women from teaching. Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. As one of his associates said, Not being in the limelight never seemed to affect him, but because he stayed in the background, many people never knew that he was deeply involved, too. A.D. tended to stay in his brothers shadow and many people never even knew that Martin Luther King Jr. had a brother. You see, she was a wonderful mother and wife, but a very soft spoken and shy woman. King to Alberta Williams King, October 1948, in Papers 1:161162. Next to First Road paralleling Jonesboro Road, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/9796/alberta-christine-king. To use this feature, use a newer browser. [15] Martin Luther King Sr. died of a heart attack on November 11, 1984,[16] and was interred next to her. Only because of the internet were we able to realize the amount of Black men and Women being gunned down by police, because they like to sweep those stories under the rug quickly. Alberta received her education in Atlanta and attended high school at Spelman Seminary (now Spelman College). .flex-slider li .caption-content p{color:#fff;} Since 1961, Atlanta magazine, the citys premier general interest publication, has served as the authority on Atlanta, providing its readers with a mix of long-form nonfiction, lively lifestyle coverage, in-depth service journalism, and literary essays, columns, and profiles. When he saw his brother lying mortally wounded, he had to be restrained by others because of the shocking and overwhelming sight. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. .footer-wrapper td{ When I looked in their eyes I saw what is often described as the thousand-yard stare. It was a kind of blankness Id never seen before. Family members linked to this person will appear here. The boy was brilliant. PureHistory.org is your source to learn about the broad and beautiful spectrum of our shared History. Though Alberta Williams King is often viewed as a footnote to the Martin Luther King Jr. story, she played a crucial role in shaping her son's thinking about race in America. iloveoldschoolmusic.com. } Alberta Christine (Williams) King, a retired organist at Ebenezer Baptist Church and a choir director, wore many hats in her family and community, as she also was the wife of Rev. Your donation is fully tax-deductible. USA. As a young woman, King seemed determined to seek an education. s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window, document,'script', Share this memorial using social media sites or email. She was shot and killed in the church by 23-year-old Black Hebrew Israelite Marcus Wayne Chenault six years after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.[1], Alberta Christine Williams was born on September 13, 1904. Forty-seven years of sharing, loving, discovering, burying, ended and the family again endured the ordeal of saying goodbye to one whom they had loved dearly. In 1980, Martin Luther King Sr. published the memoir Daddy King: An Autobiography, a work that provided new insight into his lifeand the family world that created Martin Luther King Jr. After being out of print for nearly two decades, Daddy King was re-released this week, in time for the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday. She was shot and killed in the church six years after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. Alberta Christine Williams was born on September 13, 1904, to Reverend Adam Daniel Williams, at the time pastor of the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia, and Jennie Celeste (Parks) Williams. Alberta Christine Williams King was the only child born to the Rev. I was wrong.. Learn more about managing a memorial . Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. } Shortly after completing school the couple announced their engagement at Ebenezer. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. /*inline margin*/ Introduction, in Papers 1:1, 7, 13, 1819, 2430. } She was also a talented musician who became the choir organist and director . Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. Chenault followed the tenants of the Black Hebrew Israelites, particularly the teachings of the Rev. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. #main-menu-wrapper nav .mega .thunk-widget-menu .menu a:hover { They killed my brother. King was in Memphis to lead a march in support of the local sanitation workers union. .footer-wrapper .footer-copyright .copyright { The Kings are firmly against the death penalty, so they pushed to have his death sentence tossed, in exchange for life in prison. Country: United States. Deeply religious, she grew up as a pastors daughter with an interest in activism. A. D. King was a Baptist minister and a civil rights activist. img#wpstats{display:none} According to The New York Times, Kings killer had become convinced that all Christians were his enemies. While there, King continued to fight for civil rights and was successful in a 1968 campaign for an open housing ordinance. King remembered his childhood as one of harmony spent in a very congenial home situation, with parents who always lived together very intimately (Papers 1:360). background:#f4c85e; line-height:22px; Alfred King was born July 30, 1930, in Atlanta, Georgia. An insider who spoke to Page Six claims that King Charles began the eviction process the day after Harry's memoir, Spare, came out in January. We encourage you to research and examine these . Martin Luther King Sr., mother of Alfred Daniel Williams King I (1930), Willie Christine King Farris (1927), and Rev. Her parents were Reverend Adam Daniel Williams, preacher of the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia, and Jennie Celeste (Parks) Williams. On June 30, 1974, as Alberta played "The Lord's Prayer" during Sunday services at Ebenezer, she was shot along with a deacon of the church by a mentally deranged Marcus Chenault, a twenty-one-year old man from Ohio who claimed that "all Christians are my enemies." [It was] without question the worst day of my life, Kings daughter Christine King Farris said, according to Atlanta Magazine. }); Copyright 2015 . This was later reduced to life in prison, in part at the insistence of King family members who opposed the death penalty. Chenault stated that he shot King because all Christians are my enemies, and claimed that he had decided that black ministers were a menace to black people. King Sr. gave her the nickname upon her return from college, shortening "bunch-of-goodness" to just "Bunch." They . They looked up to see a young black man standing on a pew near the front of the church. We have set your language to Years later Ebenezer dedicated it's new pipe organ in their new sanctuary across the street in honor for her passion for beautiful worship music. She taught me that I should feel a sense of somebodiness but that on the other hand I had to go out and face a system that stared me in the face every day saying you are less than, you are not equal to,' he wrote, noting that King also taught him about slavery and the Civil War and described segregation as a social condition and not a natural order., He continued, She made it clear that she opposed this system and that I must never allow it to make me feel inferior. #main-menu-wrapper nav .mega .thunk-widget-menu a:hover,#menu .mega-menu-posts a:hover, border: 1px solid #f4c85e; He supported his brother throughout the movement but never took the limelight away from him. As Mrs. King began playing The Lords Prayer on their new organ, the congregation bowed their heads in prayer. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. currency: 'USD', ::selection{ Alberta Christine (Williams) King, a retired organist at Ebenezer Baptist Church and a choir director, wore many hats in her family and community, as she also was the wife of Rev. AtlantaFi. background:#f4c85e; [14] Chenault did not draw any such distinction, and first decided to assassinate Rev. Martin Luther King Sr. passed away from a heart attack on November 11, 1984, at age 84. window._taboola = window._taboola || []; At his wifes funeral, Rev. Mrs. King's under-the-radar role in her son's activism is explored thoroughly in The Three Mothers by Anna Malaika Tubbs, who also spotlights the mothers of James Baldwin and Malcom X. Chenault Jr. stood up and yelled Im taking over here!Im tired of all this! Then he ran to the pulpit, pulled out two pistols, and fired at Mrs. King until the clips were emptied. Along with being longtime church organist, she founded and trained the Ebenezer choir and served as organizer and president of the Ebenezer Woman's Council fro! All Rights Reserved. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. Before attending Hampton, she met a young minister named Michael King (later Martin Luther King, Sr.) whom described Alberta as being "poised, gentle, an accomplished musician, scholarly." [1] King died shortly afterward from a gunshot wound to the right of her head. } List choice There are several reasons for that, which well get to in a minute, but first, here are the details of what happened to Mrs. King. They think he simply happened, that he appeared fully formed, without context, ready to change the world. }body,p{ There was an error deleting this problem. Alberta would serve as the organizer and president of the Ebenezer Women's Committee from . King often spoke of the positive influence his mother had on his moral development, deeming her the best mother in the world (Papers 1:161). . And A.D. King's daughter, Alveda King, has gone on to become a conservative activist, speaking out on a variety of issues. .format-quote blockquote, .single .format-quote blockquote, .single blockquote{ color:#fff;} The publication offers a chance to look at Kings family photos, like the ones seen here. She and Boykin died shortly after the attack, stunning their congregation and their families. .simplesocialbuttons.simplesocialbuttons_inline.simplesocial-simple-round button{ } [12] She returned to the position in 1963 and continued in the role until "retiring" in 1972.[12]. A.D. was most involved in the civil rights activities during the Birmingham riots. However, Marcus Wayne Chenault shot Dr. King Jr.'s mother Alberta, as she sat at the organ in church (6/30/1974), He died on 8/22/1995 in hospital pic.twitter.com/GpO7VSY7QR, IG:NameIsAnonymous89 (@NameSherman) June 23, 2017, Marcus Chenault, Jr. was diagnosed as mentally ill. [11] She served as choir director for nearly 25 years, leaving for only a brief period in the early 1960s to accompany her son and assist him with his work. In 1963, A. D. King became a leader of the Birmingham campaign, while pastoring at First Baptist Church of Ensley in Birmingham, Alabama. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. died of natural causes on August 3, 1995. Israel said that he was shocked and flabbergasted when he found out that Chenault had gotten arrested for the shooting, which he didnt denounce. I am tired of all this! .navigation .menu > li > a:hover,.navigation ul li a:hover,header #main-menu-wrapper .menu-item-has-children > a:hover:after,.navigation ul ul.sub-menu a:hover,.smaller .navigation ul li a:hover, .home .smaller .navigation .menu > li > a:hover,.navigation ul .current-menu-item > a, .slider-wrapper .flex-slider .fs-caption-overlay{ Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305. [4] She was also active in the YWCA, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and the Womens International League for Peace and Freedom.[4]. A. D. was the third child of Alberta Williams King and Martin Luther King, Sr. border-bottom: 1px solid #f4c85e; }.footer-wrapper { Martin Luther King, Jr. acknowledged his mother's positive influence on his life and moral development, deeming her "the best mother in the world." Every now and then, I have to chuckle as I realize there are people who actually believe [Martin] just appeared, Alberta Kings daughter wrote in her memoir. King, Alberta Williams (1903-1974)African-American church organist and mother of Martin Luther King, Jr. Name variations: Mama King. Alberta Christine Williams King (September 13, 1904 - June 30, 1974) was Martin Luther King Jr.'s mother, married to Martin Luther King Sr. She played a significant role in the affairs of the Ebenezer Baptist Church.She was shot and killed in the church by 23-year-old Black Hebrew Israelite Marcus Wayne Chenault six years after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. [1] .simplesocialbuttons.simplesocialbuttons_inline .ssb-fb-like { North America. Wheeling. We humbly honor the old school soul music era and will keep pushing forward to keep it alive. The Institute cannot give permission to use or reproduce any of the writings, statements, or images of Martin Luther King, Jr. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. The same year, he left Ebenezer Baptist to become pastor of Mount Vernon First Baptist Church in Newnan, Georgia. It was a Sunday and she was at their infamous Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Ga., which was pastored by her husband, Rev. [4] Her work as organist and as director at Ebenezer is considered to have deeply contributed to the respect her son had for music. Then, King turned her focus to her family. Im gonna find out who did it, he told someone on the phone, within hearing distance of his daughter Alveda. Her family my brother African-American Church organist and director and their families ] King died after... On a pew near the front of the shocking and overwhelming sight, s ) } ( window,,! 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