The Tragic Assassination of Alberta Williams King

The Silent Sacrifice: The Tragic Assassination of Alberta Williams King

​The narrative of the King family is often defined by the towering legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., yet the family’s journey was marked by a series of profound personal tragedies that extended far beyond the steps of the Lorraine Motel. One of the most heartbreaking, yet frequently overlooked, chapters of this story is the violent passing of the family matriarch, Alberta Williams King.

​A Sunday Morning Tragedy

​On June 30, 1974, the congregation at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta gathered for what should have been a routine morning of worship. Alberta King, a gifted musician and the backbone of the King family, sat at the organ. As the notes of “The Lord’s Prayer” filled the sanctuary, a gunman opened fire.

​The attack was swift and devastating. Alberta was fatally wounded just steps away from where her son had once preached and was now laid to rest. The violence also claimed the life of church deacon Edward Boykin and left others injured. This act of senseless brutality occurred in a place Alberta considered a sanctuary, deepening a wound that the civil rights movement and the King family were already struggling to heal.

​Justice and the King Legacy

​The perpetrator was quickly apprehended and convicted. While he was initially handed a death sentence, the King family intervened. In a move that reflected their unwavering commitment to non-violence and their theological opposition to capital punishment, they advocated for his sentence to be commuted. Ultimately, he was sentenced to life in prison, a testament to the family’s grace even in the face of absolute horror.

​A Family Defined by Resilience

​The loss of Alberta was not the only shadow to fall over the family following Martin’s 1968 assassination. Just a year after the world lost Dr. King, his younger brother, A.D. King, a dedicated activist who had been with Martin in Memphis was found dead in his swimming pool under circumstances that many family members found suspicious.

​The story of the King family serves as a somber reminder that the fight for civil rights came with an unimaginable personal price. Behind the public speeches and historic marches were individuals who endured relentless grief and targeted violence. Remembering Alberta King is not just about mourning a tragedy; it is about honoring the strength of a woman who nurtured a movement and remained a pillar of faith until her final breath.