Christine King Farris biography, net worth, books

<< Back

Edit Mode: Christine King Farris

Email *

If we need to contact you, we will contact you on this email.

Full Name *

Your name please so that we can credit your work.

Main Text *

<h2>Early Life and Family Background</h2>
<p>Christine King Farris, born <a href="/biography/christine-king-farris">Willie Christine King</a> in 1927, is the eldest child of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King_Sr.">Reverend</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King_Sr.">Martin Luther King Sr.</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alberta_Williams_King">Alberta Christine Williams King</a>. She is the older sister of the late <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King_Jr.">Reverend</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King_Jr.">Dr.</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King_Jr.">Martin Luther King Jr.</a>, a prominent civil rights leader, and Alfred Daniel Williams King I. The siblings spent much of their childhood under the care of their grandparents in Atlanta, Georgia.</p>

<h2>Education and Academic Career</h2>
<p>Christine King Farris had a long and distinguished career in education. She served as a professor at Spelman College, where she specialized in education and teacher training. Her areas of interest include multicultural education, civil rights history, and the legacy of her family, particularly her brother, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King_Jr.">Dr.</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King_Jr.">Martin Luther King Jr</a>. Over the years, she became a respected lecturer and public speaker, addressing topics such as civil rights, educational equity, and the importance of cultural understanding.</p>

<h2>Role at The King Center</h2>
<p>In addition to her academic work, Farris held key leadership roles at The Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change (commonly known as The King Center), including as Vice Chair and Treasurer. She was instrumental in furthering the organization's mission of promoting Dr. King’s teachings on nonviolence, social justice, and equality.</p>

<h2>Advocacy and Civic Engagement</h2>
<p>Christine King Farris was actively involved in several civic organizations throughout her life. She contributed to the work of the International Reading Association, participated in church-based literacy initiatives, and served in advisory or collaborative roles with major civil rights organizations, including the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC).</p>

[page-break]

<h2>Personal Life and Tragedies</h2>
<p>In 1960, Christine King married Isaac Newton Farris Sr. Together they had two children: Isaac Newton Farris Jr., who later served as President and CEO of The King Center, and Angela Christine Farris Watkins, an academic with expertise in psychology and civil rights history.</p>
<p>Farris endured tremendous personal loss through the years. Her <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King_Jr.">brother</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King_Jr.">Reverend</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King_Jr.">Dr.</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King_Jr.">Martin Luther King Jr.</a>, was assassinated in 1968. The following year, her younger brother, Alfred Daniel Williams King I, died by accidental drowning. In 1974, her mother, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alberta_Williams_King">Alberta Williams King</a>, was tragically assassinated while playing the organ during a church service. Farris never returned to Memphis, Tennessee—where <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King_Jr.">Dr. King</a> was assassinated—except to retrieve his body. In later years, she also attended the funerals of her niece <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yolanda_King">Yolanda King</a> and her sister-in-law <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coretta_Scott_King">Coretta Scott King</a>.</p>
<p>In a CNN interview, Farris stated she would not participate in the 40th anniversary of her brother's assassination due to the painful memories associated with her brief visit to Memphis at that time.</p>

<h2>Authorship and Literary Contributions</h2>
<p>Christine King Farris authored several books, many of which honor the legacy and humanity of her brother. Her works include <i>March On!: The Day My Brother Martin Changed the World</i> and <i>My Brother Martin: A Sister Remembers Growing Up with the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King_Jr.">Rev.</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King_Jr.">Dr.</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King_Jr.">Martin Luther King Jr.</a></i>, which offer personal insights into the King family’s life and values. Additionally, she penned a memoir titled <i>Through It All</i>, chronicling her own life journey and the emotional cost of bearing witness to her family's triumphs and tragedies.</p>
<p>In her writings and interviews, Farris sought to humanize Dr. King—stripping away the layers of myth to reveal the playful, warm-hearted brother she knew. She often explained that while the world sees him as a civil rights icon, to her, he was a beloved sibling whose personal side should not be forgotten.</p>

<h2>Legacy</h2>
<p>Christine King Farris dedicated her life to education, civil rights, and preserving her family’s profound legacy. Although her net worth is not publicly recorded, her impact has been immense and deeply woven into the fabric of American history. She is remembered not only as the sister of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King_Jr.">Martin Luther King Jr.</a>, but also as a powerful educator, author, and advocate in her own right.</p>

Source *

Source you received the information from. eg. personal experiences, acquaintances, web-links, etc

Comment *

Briefly describe the changes you made.

Warning! All fields are required. Empty fields won't allow the form to be submitted and your changes will be lost.
Once the changes are submitted they cannot be edited again until your submission is reviewed.