Martin Luther King III, son of the late civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., will keynote FAMU's annual Martin Luther King Convocation on Tuesday, January 11, 2011 at 10:10 a.m. in the Alfred Lawson Jr. Multipurpose Center and Teaching Gymnasium.As the oldest son of the late Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, Martin Luther King III is carrying the torch lit by both of his parents into the 21st century. His dedication to creating and implementing strategic nonviolent action to rid the world of social, political and economic injustice has propelled him to the forefront as one of the nation’s most ardent advocates for the poor, the oppressed and the disillusioned.
In 1986, King was elected to political office as an at-large representative of more than 700,000 residents of Fulton County, Ga. His tenure on the Board of Commissioners was marked by strong ethics legislation, purification of the county’s natural water resources, legislation regulating minority business participation in public contracting and stringent hazardous waste disposal requirements.
King is committed to the personal and educational development of youth and has initiated several programs throughout the years to support and nurture young people. Among them are the King Summer Intern Program designed to provide employment opportunities for high school students; Hoops for Health – a charity basketball game held to increase public awareness of newborns suffering the affects of substance abuse; and A Call to Manhood – an annual event designed to unite young African-American males with positive adult role models. One of King’s ongoing collaborations is with the annual Kindness and Justice Challenge sponsored by Do Something, Inc.
King received his bachelor of arts degree in political science from Morehouse College, and is the recipient of numerous awards and several honorary degrees. In addition to being the president and chief executive officer of The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center in Atlanta, Ga., King is married to Arndrea Waters King and they are the proud parents of a young daughter, Yolanda Renee.