King’s Daughter Quits Arizona Play

The daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. pulled out of an acting performance Sunday because she wanted to support efforts to punish the state for refusing to create a holiday honoring the civil rights leader.

Yolanda King, a 34-year-old actress, had originally said she would appear in the play even though sports events and conventions have been canceled because of the controversy. However, on Sunday, she said she had changed her mind.

It “became increasingly apparent to me that my presence in Arizona could and would be misconstrued by some to be contrary to the goals and tactics of the proponents of the King holiday,” she said in a statement.

Arizona voters on Nov. 6 defeated two propositions to establish a paid King holiday.