The intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Inauguration Day this year presents a moment of reflection, says Bernice King, the youngest daughter of the late civil rights leader.
Speaking on MSNBC’s The Weekend, King described the overlap as “wonderful” and an opportunity to reconnect with her father’s enduring legacy.
“It’s a reminder of King,” she said. “When we move forward, we’ve got to do it in the spirit of King.”
Bernice King, who was only five years old when her father was assassinated in 1968, emphasized the importance of nonviolence as a guiding principle for societal transformation.
She noted that nonviolence is not just a strategy but “a love-centered way of thinking, speaking, acting, and engaging that leads to personal, cultural, and societal transformation.”
Despite the backdrop of President-elect Donald Trump’s racially charged remarks and controversial comparisons of himself and others to Martin Luther King Jr., Bernice King urged Americans to remain focused on Dr. King’s vision of equality and nonviolence.
Trump recently faced backlash for comparing North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, a gubernatorial candidate with alleged negative comments about Dr. King, to the civil rights icon, calling Robinson “King on steroids.” He also falsely claimed that his January 6, 2021 rally had a larger crowd than the March on Washington, where Dr. King delivered his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech.
For those disheartened by the current political climate, Bernice King offered words of encouragement: “We have to strategize. We’ve been missing the strategy. We’ve been missing the spirit of Dr. King.”
As the nation observes MLK Day and inaugurates a new administration, Bernice King’s message underscores the relevance of her father’s teachings in addressing the challenges of today.
