Harry Belafonte , one of the nation 's most prominent African-American performers and social activists , is suing the children of the nation 's pre-eminent civil rights leader , the Rev . Martin Luther King Jr . The battle between the families of civil rights titans , over three documents , is detailed in a federal court lawsuit Belafonte filed against Bernice King , Dexter King and Martin Luther King III . The dispute began in 2008 when Belafonte tried to sell the documents through a Sotheby 's auction in what he said was a fundraiser for a community organization . The King estate stopped the sale , alleging the documents did not belong to Belafonte . Now , Belafonte , who is 86 , is suing to establish his ownership of the materials . The lawsuit is an ugly twist in a family friendship that has become part of the story of the American civil rights movement . Belafonte , as a successful African-American musician and actor , is said to have provided for the very children he is now suing so King could pursue his activism . He also raised and donated money to sponsor major civil rights actions like the Freedom Rides . In her autobiography , Coretta Scott King said of Belafonte : `` Whenever we got into trouble or when tragedy struck , Harry has always come to our aid , his generous heart wide open . '' He had a public split with the family in 2006 , when the children disinvited him to speak at their mother 's funeral after President George W. Bush announced he would attend . Belafonte had been an outspoken critic of Bush . In an interview that year on Democracy Now , Belafonte spoke of what motivated his financial support of King 's family , saying he wanted to make sure `` the welfare of his family would never be in jeopardy with him being at the helm of the movement , and we brought resources , and it was my task to direct all that , watching the kids grow , put money aside for their studies , to take care of Coretta , to make sure she had every convenience at her disposal to go , come while her husband was incarcerated . '' King was said to make $ 8,000 a year as a preacher . According to the lawsuit , the three documents in question were given to Belafonte by King or his aides and widow . They include reflections of how close the two men were , such as an outline written on a legal pad in Belafonte 's apartment for one of King 's signature speeches . There are also notes for a speech King had in his pocket the day he was shot to death . King and his wife were known for giving documents as gifts and Belafonte is one of many associates who lay claim to what would become a library of civil rights papers . Belafonte , the King children , their lawyers and representatives would not comment on the litigation . But the dispute is in line with other legal actions by the King family to regain King 's documents . They have repeatedly lost legal efforts to take back papers given to individuals or institutions by King , a fact Belafonte 's lawsuit points out . In this case , the lawsuit maintains the family 's legal claim to the documents has expired . Moving out of the dreamer 's shadow : A King daughter 's long journey .
Belafonte 's dispute with the estate began in 2002 when he tried to sell the documents . Lawsuit : Documents in question were given to him by King , his aides and widow . He wants a judge to order the papers released to him . The King estate has been aggressive in gaining control of MLK papers from him .