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Yolanda King, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s eldest child who pursued her father's dream of racial harmony through drama and motivational speaking, died last night on May 15, 2007 at the age of 51.

"King passed away late Tuesday in Santa Monica, California," said Steve Klein, a spokesman for the King Center. "The family did not know the cause of death, but relatives think it might have been a heart problem," he said.

"She was an actress, author, producer, advocate for peace and nonviolence, who was known and loved for her motivational and inspirational contributions to society," the King family said in a statement.

Born on Nov. 17, 1955, in Montgomery, Alabama, Yolanda Denise King was just an infant when her home was bombed amid the turbulent civil rights era. She later became an actress, ran a production company and appeared in numerous films, including "Ghosts of Mississippi," and as Rosa Parks in the 1978 miniseries "King." No information on any commemorative services or vigils has been released at this time.