Gov. Healey Orders Flags at Half Staff in Remembrance of Mel King 

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BOSTON – Massachusetts Governor Maura T. Healey ordered flags to be flown at half-staff at all state buildings in remembrance of former State Representative and political activist Mel King.

“Mel King’s work and legacy reverberate throughout Boston and well beyond the borders of Massachusetts. This loss will be felt just as widely. A dedicated public servant and civil rights champion, he stepped up to challenges that few could imagine taking on, brought people together, and never stopped advocating for racial justice. I urge all Massachusetts residents to join me in honoring his life and contributions, holding his loved ones in our hearts, continuing his work toward equity and justice.” 

King was elected as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives’ 9th Suffolk district, a post he held until early 1983.

King was the runner-up in the 1983 Boston mayoral election, against Raymond Flynn.

““With the passing of Mel King, we have lost a trailblazer in all of its forms: civil rights leader, grassroots organizer, educator, writer, legislator. He was my friend and one of the smartest men I have ever known. Mel King was an inspiration to me and countless others who sought and fought for a more just future. He was the generational conscience for the entirety of the Commonwealth and the stalwart foundation on which all Boston’s modern progress has been won. Mel taught me and everyone else in the Massachusetts State House what it meant to fight for real justice – racial, economic, and social. From the time we were sworn in together as young State Representatives, to the long hours spent working in the legislature, Mel changed my life, as well as the lives of the Boston communities he fought for day-in and day-out. Mel has passed from this mortal world, but his legacy will live on in our collective consciousness, reaching out in the words, deeds, and spirits of those fighting for justice. His memory will overcome all barriers, and will continue to rewrite what is possible, forever serving as a beacon guiding our path toward progress. For you, Mel, we will never stop fighting,” said Senator Ed Markey.

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Governor Healey has ordered that the United States of America flag and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts flag be lowered to half-staff at all state buildings beginning immediately today, March 29, 2023, until sunset on the day of interment, in honor of the life and legacy of former Representative Melvin Herbert King, who passed away on March 28, 2023.

This gubernatorial order applies to:

1.  The main or administration building of each public institution of the Commonwealth, e.g. town and city halls

2.  Other state-owned or state-controlled buildings

3.  All state military installations

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