Cyril Emanuel King (April 7, 1921 – January 2, 1978) was an American politician who served as the second elected Governor of the United States Virgin Islands from 1975 until his death in 1978.

King was born in Frederiksted on the island of Saint Croix, where he lived during his formative years.

[1] Starting in 1949, King worked for Minnesota senator Hubert Humphrey, as the first black member of staff of the U.S.

To support his election for governor in 1970 and challenge the Democratic Party in the Virgin Islands, he developed the Independent Citizens Movement.

[1]While stateside on official business in 1977, King took ill and decided to return to the territory where he was welcomed by a large crowd of supporters at the airport that now bears his name.