Background
King was born in Detroit, Michigan. He grew up with an interest in African culture and began African studies at the age of 16.
King was born in Detroit, Michigan. He grew up with an interest in African culture and began African studies at the age of 16.
King left the Baptist faith that he had been baptized into at the age of 12. Finally, in 1959 just before the Cuban revolution, he traveled to the Matanzas region of Cuba to be initiated into the Yoruba priesthood of Obatala, where he was named Efuntola Oseijeman Adefunmi. Efuntola means "the whiteness (of Obatala) is as good as wealth (or honor)." Adefunmi means "the crown has given me this (child)." That organization would come to be called the Yoruba Temple.
King"s Black Nationalist stance drew large criticism from within the ranks of the Cuban Santería priests because of his strident opposition to certain aspects of their religion.