July 3rd 2023.
On Thursday, June 29, the world mourned the loss of Dr. Christine King Farris, sister of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The King Center officially announced the news of her passing at 95 years old.
The King Center also released a statement on social media, honoring the renowned civil rights activist, educator, author, and matriarch of the King family. Willie Christine King Farris was born in 1927, the firstborn child to Martin Luther King Sr. and was an integral part of her brother’s monumental efforts to spark structural and societal changes.
Martin Luther King III and Bernice King, the children of her late brother, both shared sentiments on her passing. King III expressed his admiration for her public service, while Bernice, the current CEO of the King Center, called her aunt a “phenomenal woman” who “survived and thrived.”
In the spirit of her legacy, The King Center is promoting The Christine King Farris Legacy Foundation Inc. The foundation was established in 2022 for her 95th birthday, and works to raise funds for scholarships at Spelman College and a Leadership program at her alma mater.
She is survived by her grandchild, Farris Christine Watkins, and two children, Isaac Jr. and Angela, shared with her late husband, Isaac Newton Farris Sr., who died in 2017. In a 2007 interview with the AJC, Farris shared her feelings about being the last surviving King sibling, saying “You don’t question anything, but I wonder why am I the one that is left. God must have me here for something.”
The world has lost an incredible woman who dedicated her life to service. Her everlasting impact on civil rights, education, and philanthropy will never be forgotten.
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