Alberta Williams King

Who was Alberta Williams King?

Alberta Christine Williams King (née Williams; September 13, 1904 – June 30, 1974) was an American civil rights organizer best known as the wife of Martin Luther King Sr.; and as the mother of Martin Luther King Jr., and also as the grandmother of Martin Luther King III. She was shot and killed in the church by 23-year-old Marcus Wayne Chenault six years after the assassination of her eldest son Martin Luther King Jr. Alberta Christine Williams was born. Alberta Williams graduated from high school at the Spelman Seminary, and earned a teaching certificate at the Hampton Normal and Industrial Institute, now Hampton University in 1924. Williams met Martin L. King, then known as Michael King, whose sister Woodie was boarding with her parents, shortly before she left for Hampton. She was the choir director of the Ebenezer Baptist Church.

Her parents were Reverend Adam Daniel Williams, at the time preacher of the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia, and Jennie Celeste (Parks) Williams.

Historical significance

After graduating, she announced her engagement to King at the Ebenezer Baptist Church. She was shot and killed in the church by 23-year-old Marcus Wayne Chenault six years after the assassination of her eldest son Martin Luther King Jr.