The Legacy of the King Family

The Legacy of the King Family

The King Family

The King family served as a fundamental pillar of the American civil rights movement. Through faith, education, and organizing, generations of the family dedicated their lives to fighting systemic racism and social injustice. Beyond MLK Jr.'s iconic leadership, the family’s collective activism through Ebenezer Baptist Church, the SCLC, and the King Center shaped modern human rights, leaving an enduring global impact on peace and equality.

People

Birth Death Origin Age (Death)
1899
1904
1927
1927
1929
1930

Timeline

Category
Element
Year The King Family
1899
Birth of Michael King (Period: December 19, 1899, Location: Stockbridge, Georgia, United States)
1904
Birth of Alberta Christine Williams (Period: September 13, 1904 (Some sources, including Stanford University's King Institute, state September 13, 1903), Location: Atlanta, Georgia, United States)
1910
Witnessing Lyching in Childhood (Michael King)
Education at Spelman Seminary
1914
World War I
1917
Decision to Become a Minister (Michael King)
1918
Relocation to Atlanta and Beginning of Ministerial Work (Michael King)
1920
Protests Against Racial Segregation in Atlanta
1924
Graduation from Hampton Normal and Industrial Institute (Alberta Christine Williams)
1925
Theological Education at Morehouse College (Michael King)
1926
Marriage (Michael King, Alberta Christine Williams)
Marriage (Alberta Christine Williams, Martin Luther King Sr.)
1927
Appointment as Assistant Pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church (Michael King)
Birth of Coretta Scott (Period: April 27, 1927, Location: Near Marion, Alabama, United States)
Birth of Willie Christine King (Period: September 11, 1927, Location: Atlanta, Georgia, United States)
1929
Birth of Michael King Jr. (Period: January 15, 1929, Location: Atlanta, Georgia, United States)
1930
Atlanta Black Voter Registration Movement
Leadership in Atlanta NAACP and Civil Rights Movement
Earning Degree at Morris Brown College (Alberta Christine Williams)
Birth of Alfred Daniel King (Period: July 30, 1930, Location: Atlanta, Georgia, United States)
1931
Appointment as Senior Pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church (Michael King)
1932
Musical Activities at Ebenezer Baptist Church (Alberta Christine Williams)
1934
Attendance at Baptist World Alliance Congress in Berlin (Michael King)
Renaming to Martin Luther King
1940
Music Education and Singing Career
Teacher Salary Equality Movement in Atlanta
Enrollment and Graduation from Spelman College (Willie Christine King)
1941
1950
Support for Eldest Son Martin Luther King Jr.'s Civil Rights Movement
Service on Ebenezer Women's Committee (Alberta Christine Williams)
Participation in Civil Rights and Peace Movements (Alberta Christine Williams)
Teaching Career at W. H. Crogman Elementary School (Willie Christine King)
Marriage (Alfred Daniel King, Naomi Ruth Barber King)
1952
Meeting Martin Luther King Jr.
1953
Marriage (Michael King Jr., Coretta Scott King)
Marriage (Coretta Scott, Martin Luther King Jr.)
1954
Relocation to Montgomery and Participation in the Civil Rights Movement (Coretta Scott)
Ordination as Pastor of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church (Michael King Jr.)
1955
Montgomery bus boycott
1956
King House Bombing
1957
Formation of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference
1958
Graduate Education at Columbia University (Willie Christine King)
Educational Activities at Spelman College (Willie Christine King)
1959
Graduation from Morehouse College (Alfred Daniel King)
1960
1960 Atlanta Civil Rights Movement
Co-Pastorship with Martin Luther King Jr.
Marriage (Willie Christine King, Isaac Newton Farris Sr.)
1960 Atlanta Lunch Counter Sit-Ins
1963
Participation in Birmingham Civil Rights Movement (Alfred Daniel King)
Birmingham campaign
A. D. King House Bombing
De-escalation of the Birmingham Riots
March on Washington and "I Have a Dream" Speech
Participation in the March on Washington (Coretta Scott)
1964
St. Augustine Civil Rights Movement
Awarded Nobel Peace Prize (Michael King Jr.)
Contribution to the Passage of the Civil Rights Act (Michael King Jr.)
Activities Surrounding the Nobel Peace Prize (Coretta Scott)
1965
Selma Voting Rights Movement
Contribution to the Passage of the Voting Rights Act (Michael King Jr.)
Participation in Selma Movement (Alfred Daniel King)
Ministerial Work in Louisville (Alfred Daniel King)
Selma to Montgomery Voting Rights Movement
1967
Strengthening of the Anti-Vietnam War Movement
Poverty Relief Efforts and Poor People's Campaign Concept
1968
Family and Church Support Following Martin Luther King Jr.'s Assassination
Participation in the Establishment of the King Center (Willie Christine King)
Memphis Sanitation Workers' Strike and King's Assassination
Final Speech in Memphis (Michael King Jr.)
Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
Encountering Eldest Brother Martin Luther King Jr.'s Assassination
Participation in the Poor People's Campaign (Coretta Scott)
Establishment of the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change
Zion Baptist Church Office Bombing
Appointment as Co-Pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church (Alfred Daniel King)
1969
Drowning Death of Alfred Daniel Williams King
A. D. King's Death by Drowning
1970
Campaign for the Establishment of Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Expansion of Activism into Women's Rights, Peace, and Human Rights
1974
Assassination of Alberta Williams King
Assassination at Ebenezer Baptist Church (Alberta Christine Williams)
Assassination of Alberta King
1975
Retirement as Senior Pastor (Michael King)
1980
South African Anti-Apartheid Movement
Writing and Speaking Activities on King Family History
1984
Death of Michael King
1986
South Africa Visit and Anti-Apartheid Activities
2005
Stroke and Later Years (Coretta Scott)
2006
Death of Coretta Scott
2014
Retirement from Spelman College (Willie Christine King)
2018
Spelman College Founders Day Honoree Recognition (Willie Christine King)
2023
Unknown
Beginning of Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church (Period: Youth to 1950s, Location: Atlanta, Georgia, United States)

Map

Category
Element
United States World
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Group List
New England Cold War diplomacy The Kennedy Family Harvard University - Intellectual Network Liberal politics Military and Security Civil Rights Movement International cooperation Cold War Policy Media and Intellectuals Women's movement Financial circles
South The Johnson Family The King Family

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