Civil Rights activist Dr. Lonnie King, Jr. has died.
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms issued a statement Tuesday night about his passing.
“Derek and I were fortunate to count Lonnie King Jr. as an extended family member and dear friend. On behalf of our entire family, we extend our deepest condolences to the King family during this difficult time. Lonnie left an indelible mark on the legacy of both Atlanta and the Civil Rights movement. His life was one of inspiration, one that was committed to the fight for tolerance, equality and fairness. Lonnie used his days to their fullest and will be sorely missed.”
King attended Morehouse College in the early 1960s and was part of the Atlanta Student Movement.
The City of Atlanta's website talks about the history of the group. It says King and two others laid the groundwork for what would become a seminal phase in the Civil Rights Movement. Students conducted sit-ins, marches and picketed.
"Thanks to the Atlanta Student Movement, the city began to live up to its slogan, 'A city too busy to hate,'" the city's website reads.
About four years ago, the city posted a video of King talking about a march to the State Capitol.
"We were walking side by side," he said, as they were trying to get the movement off the ground. Due to the fear of violence, he decided to change the route of the march.
He also talked about his time organizing the movement in another video.
"I was a senior at Morehouse at the time, and I was the chairman of the movement, in fact I was the founding chairman of the student movement in Atlanta," he said in he clip.
The Atlanta City Council also tweeted its condolences to the King family.
"We are saddened to hear of the passing today of Lonnie King Jr., a civil rights icon and leader of the Atlanta Student Movement," the tweet said.
In 2013, The Library of Congress and the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture interviewed King for the Civil Rights History Project.
During his interview, King shared his memories about growing up in Atlanta and even getting to know Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s family.
Others are posting tributes to King online.
UPDATE: A celebration of life service for King will be held at historic Ebenezer Baptist Church off Auburn Avenue Tuesday, March 19 at 11 a.m.
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