Martin Luther King III Reflects On Growing Up Without His Dad: ‘I Wish He’d Seen Me Graduate From College, Get Married & Raise His Only Grandchild’

Martin Luther King III Reflects On Growing Up Without His Dad: ‘I Wish He’d Seen Me Graduate From College, Get Married & Raise His Only Grandchild’

Martin Luther King III opened up about the struggle of growing up without his iconic father, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

In his new book, “What Is My Legacy?”, Martin Luther King III shared how he navigated life without his father’s presence:

“My dad will always be larger than life. And for me, the struggle of my life has been, first and foremost, growing up without him. As a boy, I longed to shoot hoops, wrestle, and ride bikes with my dad, as we used to do before he was k*lled.”

He continued, reflecting on the pain of missing milestones his father never got to witness:

“As a man, I wish he’d seen me graduate from college, marry the love of my life, the incredible Arndrea Waters King, and raise a fierce daughter—his only grandchild, Yolanda Renee King—with his oratory gifts running through her veins.”

Martin Luther King III also recalled how his mother, Coretta Scott King, would comfort him with words of his father’s pride, though he longed to hear them directly from Dr. King:

“My mom would sometimes tell me, ‘Your father would be so proud of you.’ This would bring tears to my eyes. I would almost melt into the moment, wanting so badly to hear those very words from his mouth.”

Despite growing up without his father, King III continues to carry on the mission of justice his parents set forth, saying,

“An important part of my life has been furthering their work. What a great honor it is to pursue this mission, in the hopes that my efforts… will help create a better world.”

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