Ralph David Abernathy III

Ralph David Abernathy III
Abernathy, c. 1988
Member of the Georgia State Senate from the 38th district
In office January 11, 1993 – January 11, 1999
Preceded by	Horace Tate
Succeeded by	Horacena Tate
Member of the Georgia House of Representatives from the 39th district
In office January 9, 1989 – January 11, 1993
Preceded by	John W. Greer Jr.
Personal details
Born	Ralph David Abernathy III (1959-03-19)March 19, 1959 Montgomery, Alabama, U.S.
Died	March 17, 2016(2016-03-17) (aged 56) Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Relations	Donzaleigh Abernathy (sister)
Parent(s)	Ralph Abernathy Juanita Abernathy

Ralph David Abernathy III (March 19, 1959 – March 17, 2016) was an American politician and businessman.

Biography

Born on March 19, 1959, in Montgomery, Alabama, Abernathy was the son of civil rights activists Ralph and Juanita Abernathy. His sister was actress and author Donzaleigh Abernathy. He was named "III" after his older brother Ralph David Abernathy Jr., who died in infancy. He received his bachelor's degree in English and Linguistics from Morehouse College in 1981. He owned Clean Air Industries in Atlanta.^[1]

Abernathy served in the Georgia House of Representatives as a Democrat in 1988 and then in the Georgia State Senate in 1992. In 1997, Abernathy was indicted and convicted of smuggling marijuana into the United States from Jamaica, forgery, making a false statement, and witness tampering.^[2][1]

In 1999, Abernathy was convicted of defrauding the state of Georgia of thousands of dollars in expense money, numerous counts of theft, forgery and tampering with a witness. He was sentenced to four years in prison. Abernathy died in Atlanta, on March 17, 2016, aged 56, of cancer.^[3][4]

Notes

1. "Ralph David Abernathy III, son of civil rights icon, dies at 56". rollingout.com. March 17, 2016. Retrieved September 8, 2025.
2. "Georgia General Assembly". www.legis.ga.gov. Retrieved September 8, 2025.
3. "National News Briefs; Civil Rights Leader's Son Sentenced to Four Years (Published 2000)". January 29, 2000. Retrieved September 8, 2025.
4. Thurbert E. Baker, Attorney General of Georgia (December 21, 1999). "Former State Senator Ralph David Abernathy III Convicted by Fulton County Jury". law.georgia.gov.