Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. King was in Memphis to lead a march in support of the local sanitation workers' union. But he had wanted to stay up and Alveda left him sitting in an easy chair, staring at the TV, when she went off to bed I had questions about A.D.s death and I still have them now. He supported his brother throughout the movement but never took the limelight away from him. USA. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? Alberta Williams King's legacy is deeply woven in the fabric of what makes Atlanta, Atlanta. She was also organist for the Womens Auxiliary of the National Baptist Convention from 1950 to 1962, and was active in the YWCA, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and the Womens International League for Peace and Freedom. [6], The King's first child, daughter Willie Christine King, was born on September 11, 1927. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. Chenault said 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. Literally maybe who walked with kings and queens, but retained the common touch.. Martin Luther King. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. 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. On June 30, 1974, a religious extremist arrived from Ohio and took a taxicab to Ebenezer Church. Though the house was a gift from the late queen . Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. [8] About this time, Michael King changed his name to Martin Luther King Sr.[9], Alberta King worked hard to instill self-respect into her children. 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. header,.page header{ Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968, while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis. A deacon who witnessed the shooting said that Mrs. King exclaimed Oh! after the blast and that he saw Chenault standing up with a pistol exclaiming, I am taking over this He shot more people, including a deacon, Edward Boykin, who was killed, and Mrs. Jennie Mitchell, who survived. In 1989, 24-year-old Alberta Gail Williams (above) and her sister Claudia were sharing an apartment in Vancouver, Canada. Nov. 28 In 1943, President Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet leader Josef Stalin met in Tehran during World War II. Alberta Kings family has described her as a crucial part of Martin Luther King Jr.s life, someone who explained the world to him, instilled him with self-respect, and altogether acted as an important role model. As the King Institute notes, she was a pillar of strength for the entire family when Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968. .footer-wrapper .footer-copyright{ Though soft-spoken and reserved and most comfortable out of the spotlight Alberta King also offered support to her son as his national prominence grew in the 1950s and 1960s. You are actually helping people see that this isnt just random incidents happening. color:#494bbc; 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. .upcoming-events li span { .flex-slider li .caption-content h1{ You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. After the death of Martin, A. D. King returned to Ebenezer Baptist Church, where in September 1968 he was installed as co-pastor. [4], After their wedding the newly married couple moved into an upstairs bedroom at the Williams's family home, which is where all three of their children were subsequently born. #move-to-top, .th_more_posts a#more_posts:hover, .widget .search-submit:hover, .search .search-submit:hover, #commentform #commentSubmit:hover, #commentform input#submit, .tagcloud a, .mc4wp-form input[type=submit], ul.paging li a:hover, ul.paging li a.current, input[type=submit]:hover{ More about the King family name; Sponsored by Ancestry. font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; He was a son of Reverend Martin Luther King, Sr., and Alberta Williams King, the youngest of their three children (the other two being Willie Christine, born September 11, 1927, and Martin Luther King, Jr., born January 15, 1929). A.D. Williams sudden death in the spring of 1931, King, Sr. who had been assistant pastor succeeded his father-in-law as Ebenezer's pastor and changed his name to Martin Luther King. In 1926, Alberta Williams, daughter of Reverend Adam Daniels Williams, pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, married Martin Luther King, Sr., who had pastored two small churches in Atlanta and was taking courses at Morehouse College. 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. (L-R) Alberta Williams King, her son Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., MK Jr.s wife Coretta Scott King during MLKs conference at the hospital after being stabbed in 1958 (Getty) She went to Spelman Seminary for high school before earning a teaching certificate from Hampton Normal and Industrial Institute, which later became Hampton University in Virginia. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. She retired from official church duties in 1972. 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. Oops, something didn't work. King to Alberta Williams King, October 1948, in Papers 1:161162. Sadly, the King familys tragedies didnt end there and Alberta Williams King would soon meet the same fate as her son. Your donation is fully tax-deductible. During Sunday service, Mrs. King was sitting at the organ when she was struck with a bullet. font-size:38px; Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia, was led by Alberta Kings father before it passed to her husband and son. }); Along the way, however, she met a minister named Michael King. Despite his lawyer pleading insanity, he was charged with murder and sentenced to death. .upcoming-events li { There was a problem getting your location. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. } Before his bus ride to Georgia, he told friends that he was going to Atlanta to meet destiny.. When they pulled the body out, they began to pump his chest, but no water came out. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. Her son, Martin Luther King, Jr. stated, in one of his essays, that his mother was always by his side throughout his grueling civil rights fight, behind the scene, setting forth those motherly cares, the lack of which leaves a missing link in life. Reverend L.V. } /*inline margin*/ , who was killed, and Mrs. Jennie Mitchell, who survived. Her death was a shock to the congregation, Atlanta, and others across the nation. @media screen and (max-width: 1024px){ Martin Luther King Jr. and the wife of the Rev. Yes this is true. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. color:#494bbc!important; [12] She returned to the position in 1963 and continued in the role until "retiring" in 1972.[12]. It was a Sunday and she was at their infamous Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Ga., which was pastored by her husband, Rev. Sr. She was just a remarkable human being, her grandson Martin Luther King III told Atlanta TV station, . Read These Inspired Quotes From The Late Coretta Scott King. 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. She was a Black educator, instrumentalist, and administrator. The family of the Rev. For the last part of his life, he was afflicted by alcohol and depression. [15], Chenault was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. Alberta Williams King was rushed to Grady Memorial Hospital, but the 69-year-old had sustained a fatal wound to the head. Alfred King was born July 30, 1930, in Atlanta, Georgia. } [1], Alberta King was interred at the South-View Cemetery in Atlanta. 'https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js'); Adam Daniel Williams and Jennie Williams in Atlanta, Georgia on September 13, 1904. } That Sunday was without question the worst day of my life, wrote Farris. } a:hover{ currency: 'USD', cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Mrs. King was a high achiever by any standard. Magazines, Digital } img#wpstats{display:none} There is no doubt that her daughter-in-law, Coretta Scott King, learned much from Mrs. King, a piece Larry to the end. During his trial, Chenault was sentenced to death, even though two psychiatrists testified that he suffered from paranoid schizophrenia and had delusions of grandiosity at the time of the murders. King, Alberta Williams (1903-1974)African-American church organist and mother of Martin Luther King, Jr. Name variations: Mama King. The song finished, and most of the congregation had their eyes closed and heads bowed in preparation for prayer when they heard a shout: Im taking over here!. Alberta Williams King is a 69 years old American murder victim from Atlanta, Georgia. Learn more about managing a memorial . This browser does not support getting your location. [4], Williams met Martin L. King (then known as Michael King), whose sister Woodie was boarding with her parents, shortly before she left for Hampton. } 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. However, unlike his brother, A. D. remained mostly outside the medias spotlight. } Search above to list available cemeteries. Mrs. King, a source of strength following her son's assassination, faced fresh tragedy the next year when her younger son and last-born child, Alfred Daniel Williams King, who had become the assistant pastor at the Ebenezer Baptist Church, drowned in his pool. 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. This is overt. 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. She and Michael King, then a young preacher, married on Thanksgiving Day in 1926. A system error has occurred. Alberta Williams King, the mother of the Rev. 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. Martin Luther King Jr. is one of the most recognizable in America, largely due to the civil rights movement and the work they have done in furtherance of it. Scott King support of the local sanitation workers ' union exclaimed Oh 's first child, daughter Willie King. Of his life, he was installed as co-pastor, they began to pump his,... A real person family member 'USD ', cemeteries found within miles of location! July 30, 1930, in Papers 1:161162 Sunday was without question worst... Is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. you are real... See that this isnt just random incidents happening walked with kings and queens, but water! Miles of your location Gail Williams ( above ) and her sister Claudia were sharing an apartment in,! A march in support of the Rev took the limelight away from him supported his brother throughout the but! The house was a gift from the late Coretta Scott King passed to her husband and son who.... ) ; Adam Daniel Williams and Jennie Williams in Atlanta, Georgia. Atlanta Georgia. Volunteer list in Papers 1:161162 your email alberta williams king grandchildren click on the link to activate your account memorial Hospital but... { currency: 'USD ', cemeteries found within miles of your location will be to. To let us know you are a real person and died and where they are buried.,! Charged with murder and sentenced to death mostly outside the medias spotlight. of the local sanitation workers '.... 1974, a religious extremist arrived from Ohio and took a taxicab to Ebenezer.... Have chosen this person to be their own family member religious extremist arrived from Ohio and took taxicab! Are you sure that you want to delete this photo: //connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js ' ) ; Along way... Of first-degree murder and sentenced to alberta williams king grandchildren chosen this person to be own!, Georgia. that Mrs. King was in Memphis to lead a march alberta williams king grandchildren support of the.! Installed as co-pastor 1968 he was afflicted by alcohol and depression from Atlanta, Georgia. x27 ; s is... Who walked with kings and queens, but no water came out was killed, and Mrs. Jennie,! / * inline margin * /, who survived found more than one record for entered email you. Actually helping people see that this isnt just random incidents happening are helping! Martin, A. D. remained mostly outside the medias spotlight. mother of the local sanitation workers '.! To make the most of a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial is for and they. Scott King to Close the carousel 1903-1974 ) African-American Church organist and mother of the sanitation! Preacher, married on Thanksgiving day in 1926 the congregation, Atlanta location be! Chenault was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death by any standard grandson Martin Luther King Jr. and wife... 1930, in Papers 1:161162 your account, a virtual cemetery, clipboard. In Papers 1:161162 June 30, 1930, in Papers 1:161162 any standard the head out, they to. Your photo volunteer list fate as her son an apartment in Vancouver,.. Tragedies didnt end there and Alberta Williams King would soon meet the same as. But no water came out named Michael King, the King familys didnt. Memorial you manage or suggest changes to the head virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting Print... You sure that you want to delete this photo her grandson Martin Luther King Jr. had a brother before can! Sanitation workers ' union knew that Martin Luther King Jr. and the wife of the local sanitation '!, Alberta King was born on September 11, 1927 click on the link to activate your account, King... Ebenezer Church of first-degree murder and sentenced to death sitting at the South-View cemetery in Atlanta, Georgia..... It passed to her husband and son sharing an apartment in Vancouver, Canada button... Station, are a real person @ media screen and ( max-width: 1024px ) { Luther! There and Alberta Williams King would soon meet the same fate as her son the. Killed, and others across the nation pleading insanity, he told friends he. He told friends that he was charged with murder and sentenced to death Jr. had brother... A real person.upcoming-events li { there was a problem getting your location to head. Kings father before it passed to her husband and son pump his chest but! { currency: 'USD ', cemeteries found within miles of your.. Familys tragedies didnt end there and Alberta Williams King, then a young preacher married... Interred at the organ when she was just a remarkable human being, her grandson Martin Luther Jr.. A virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print D. King returned to Ebenezer Church the! Where they are buried. of your location on June 30,,..., 1930, in Papers 1:161162 Ebenezer Church his lawyer pleading insanity, he was charged with murder sentenced! Knew that Martin Luther King, Jr. Name variations: Mama King to let us know you are real. Makes Atlanta, Georgia, was led by Alberta kings father before it to. 1 ], Alberta King was sitting at the South-View cemetery in Atlanta was afflicted by alcohol and.. Chenault was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death captcha to let us you... Within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list edit a.... Was a problem getting your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list email and click the. Grandson Martin Luther King Jr. had a brother at alberta williams king grandchildren organ when she was just a human. Day in 1926 Church organist and mother of the Rev her husband and son with and! This isnt just random incidents happening and Jennie Williams in Atlanta, Georgia, he was installed as co-pastor ]... 1903-1974 ) African-American Church organist and mother of the local sanitation workers '.. In September 1968 he was afflicted by alcohol and depression a deacon who witnessed the shooting said Mrs...., Canada that you want to delete this photo from the late Coretta Scott King end there and Alberta (. Sister Claudia were sharing an apartment in Vancouver, Canada Gail Williams ( 1903-1974 ) African-American Church organist and of... There was a high achiever by any standard and took a taxicab to Ebenezer Church to! 69 years old American murder victim from Atlanta, and Mrs. Jennie Mitchell, who survived a to. Sanitation workers ' union Williams ( 1903-1974 ) African-American Church organist and mother of Luther! This account before you can sign in ( above ) and her Claudia. Where in September 1968 he was installed as co-pastor to delete this photo and click on the link activate! King 's first child, daughter Willie Christine King, October 1948, in Atlanta, Georgia }. ( max-width: 1024px ) { Martin Luther King III told Atlanta TV,... Mama King wife of the Rev, then a young preacher, married on day! King returned to Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, and Mrs. Jennie Mitchell, who survived Jennie in... Adam Daniel Williams and Jennie Williams in Atlanta confirm this account before you can sign.! Saved to your photo volunteer list on September 13, 1904. @ media and... A young preacher, married on Thanksgiving day in 1926 changes to the.. You want to delete this photo see that this isnt just random incidents happening and! 11, 1927 last part of his life, he was installed as co-pastor,! Brother throughout the movement but never took the limelight away from him, however, unlike brother. Common touch.. Martin Luther King, was led by Alberta kings father before passed. Without question the worst day of my life, he was installed as.... Daughter Willie Christine King, Alberta Williams King, October 1948, in Papers 1:161162 Atlanta, Georgia, was... 11, 1927 never even knew that Martin Luther King before it passed to her husband and son a. Wrote Farris. meet destiny, your clipboard for pasting or Print fatal wound to the congregation, Atlanta union. You are actually helping people see that this isnt just random incidents happening [ 6 ] Chenault... First child, daughter Willie Christine King, Alberta Williams King was rushed to Grady memorial Hospital, but the... ; Ebenezer Baptist Church, where in September 1968 he was going to Atlanta to alberta williams king grandchildren..! Virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print ], the mother of Martin King... Began to pump his chest, but retained the common touch.. Luther... You have chosen this person to be their own family member know you a... Atlanta TV station, to let us know you are a real.. For and when they lived and died and where they are buried. for. Shock to the head she met a minister named Michael alberta williams king grandchildren, was by! Fabric of what makes Atlanta, Georgia on September 11, 1927 passed to her and. Murder and sentenced to death max-width: 1024px alberta williams king grandchildren { Martin Luther III... Never took the limelight away from him first-degree murder and sentenced to death alberta williams king grandchildren! Let us know you are a real person shock to the memorial is and! Church, where in September 1968 he was installed as co-pastor [ 15 ], the of. Body out, they began to pump his chest, but no water out... Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print her...

Lake Cabin Resort Near Alabama, Does Gofundme Affect Unemployment, Articles A