Civil rights activist Naomi Barber King, a sister-in-law to the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., dies

ATLANTA– Naomi Barber King, a civil rights activist who was married to the younger brother of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., has died at the age of 92.

She died Thursday in Atlanta, according to family members who issued a statement through the AD King Foundation.

Naomi King founded the organization in May 2008 with the mission of empowering youth and women and promoting strategies for nonviolent social change.

“She was a woman of quiet dignity, conquering strength and steadfast support of her husband, family and influential circles inside and outside Atlanta,” the statement said.

Naomi King was born in Dothan, Alabama, according to the foundation’s website. She and her mother, Bessie Barber, moved to Atlanta to “make a better life” for themselves. In 1949, King attended Spelman College and studied French for a year. She later attended the University of Alabama and studied interior design, the website said.

She was married to the Rev. Alfred Daniel Williams King, a Baptist minister and civil rights leader whom she met after joining Ebenezer Baptist Church. The couple married in 1950 and had five children. AD King died in July 1969.

The couple supported Martin Luther King Jr. and his leadership in the Civil Rights Movement and stood by his side during several historic events, including the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, one of the most famous political rallies in American history.

Naomi King published a book in 2014 titled “AD and ML King: Two Brothers Who Dared to Dream.”

Known for her love of butterflies and affectionately referred to as the “Butterfly Queen,” King exemplified courage, resilience and grace in the face of injustice, uncertainty and heartbreak, themes highlighted in a 2022 documentary about her life, according to the Foundation .

She is survived by her daughter, Alveda King; her son, Derek King; and several grandchildren.