MLK's Granddaughter Reveals Little-Known Fact About Coretta Scott King

The only granddaughter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, Yolanda Renee King, is sharing her grandparents legacy with the next generation in her new children’s book, “We Dream a World.”

“You were gone before I came into this world, but that dream and so many others lives deep inside me,” wrote the 15 year-old in her book,

Despite her youth, Yolanda Renee has followed in the footsteps of her grandparents and become an activist in her own right. At just 9 years old, she participated at March For Our Lives, a rally to end gun violence. And now, she wants to help inspire the next generation to fight for what they believe in.

“The book pays homage to them and their work, but it also talks about the potential of our world,” she told Fox 10. “I want to provide encouragement that yes, we can still have this world ... we’re going to have to really work and stay strong.”

Part of what makes this book standout is the dual emphasis on both Dr. King and Coretta Scott King, a civil rights leader in her own right. Despite the clear contributions of Black women and girls like Coretta Scott King, Rosa Parks, Mamie Till- Mobley, and Ruby Bridges in the Civil Right Movement, their voices were often sidelined both in their own time and in ours.

In an interview with CBS Mornings, Yolanda shared that it was actually her grandmother Coretta who brought MLK into the Civil Rights fight.

“A lot of people don’t know this, but actually, prior to the beginning of my grandfather joining the movement, she was a part of the peace movement which took place on college campuses in the 40s,” she explained. “She was the one who actually got my grandfather involved in the movement and encouraged him to be involved in the movement when they first met.”

The choice to give Coretta Scott King her flowers alongside her husband and partner, Dr. King Jr., is important step in showcasing the vital role of women in this movement for the new generation, added Yolanda.