Yolanda King, the firstborn child of civil rights leaders the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, passed away quietly on Wednesday, May 15, 2007. She was 51 years old. Yolanda grew up in Atlanta, where she witnessed her father's rise to fame. She was only 5 years old when her father was assassinated in Memphis in 1968. Despite her grief, she remained a powerful advocate of her father's message of nonviolence and justice. Yolanda grew to become an actress and speaker. She founded Higher Grounds Productions, a public speaking and performing arts company. Her major acting roles included appearances in George C. Wolfe's production of The Colored Museum and the short film The Meeting. She also served as an associate producer for the film The Right Thing. Yolanda received numerous honors, including the National Council of Negro Women's 1991 Living Legacy Award. Most recently, she was appointed Chair of the Leadership Council for the King Center for Nonviolent Social Change. In her later years, she continued her father's legacy and worked diligently for human rights and social justice. Through her words and actions, she was a reminder that violence and hatred cannot permanently vanquish love and justice.