Bernice King, the youngest daughter of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, has dedicated her life to continuing her parents' legacy of nonviolent social change. As CEO of the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change (The King Center), which was founded by her mother in 1968, Bernice King works tirelessly to promote education, training, research, and advocacy rooted in the philosophy of nonviolence. Her journey, marked by personal loss and a profound spiritual awakening, has solidified her commitment to justice, equality, and the transformative power of love.
A Childhood Shaped by History and Loss
Bernice King's life has been inextricably linked to the Civil Rights Movement since her birth. Only five months old when more than 250,000 people gathered at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., for the March on Washington on August 28, 1963, Bernice grew up in the shadow of her father's activism. The King Center continues to offer education, training, research and advocacy based on the philosophy of nonviolence with the goal of bringing about social change, just as its practice did 60 years ago. She experienced a devastating loss at the tender age of five when her father was assassinated in 1968. This tragedy was followed by a series of further losses: her uncle, her cousin, her grandfather, her mother, and her older sister.
Bernice recalls a cherished memory of her father, Dr. King, sharing moments of joy and affection with his children. Before saying grace at the dinner table, he would playfully ask his sons, “Where’s Martin’s and Dexter’s sugar spots?” and then turn to his oldest daughter, Yolanda, asking, “Where’s Yolanda’s sugar spot?” These simple moments of love and connection are precious memories that Bernice holds dear. She also fondly remembers her father chewing on a long-stemmed green onion like a celery stick before meals.
The weight of these losses led Bernice to question her faith. "When I was old enough to question the Lord, I kept asking 'God, why did You let all of this death happen?'" she recalls. "I felt abandoned by Him and by my daddy, and I would cry out, 'Why did You leave me?' speaking of my Heavenly Father, and my earthly father."
A Spiritual Awakening and a Path to Ministry
Despite her pain and anger, Bernice felt "an odd calling" in her spirit, drawing her toward ministry. This calling was confusing, as she grappled with anger toward God and a desire to continue "partying." Overwhelmed by feelings of loneliness and being unloved, Bernice contemplated suicide. In a moment of despair, holding a knife, she had a profound encounter with the Holy Spirit. "The Holy Spirit said to me, 'Put the knife down, people are going to miss you.'" This pivotal moment led Bernice to surrender her life to Christ, transforming her life. "I realized if God can do this for me knowing how much pain and fear was in my heart, then nothing is impossible for the Lord," she says.
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Following her surrender to God's calling, Bernice pursued her education, earning a joint Doctorate of Law and Master of Divinity.
Carrying the Torch: The King Center and the Pursuit of Justice
Bernice King's work at The King Center is deeply rooted in her parents' teachings and commitment to nonviolence. The center's mission is to educate and promote nonviolent principles to address social injustices and create a more just, peaceful, and equitable world. The center offers education, training, research and advocacy based on the philosophy of nonviolence with the goal of bringing about social change.
Inspired by history and motivated by her faith and friendships, Bernice continues the work of her parents. "I’m inspired by history. There are those who came before us, our ancestors … they had to face some dark and difficult times," King says. "We as a humanity have made it through some real difficult challenges."
Bernice emphasizes that her father taught love and nonviolence "not as a mere tactic but as a way of life." She dreams of seeing the peaceful world her father longed for, a vision fueled by her own struggles and the realization that "God doesn't give up on us."
Addressing Systemic Issues: Economic Justice and Beyond
Bernice King understands that the fight for civil rights extends beyond ending racial segregation. Access to public accommodations, such as housing and education, as well as voter protections, a federal works program and fair employment practices were also part of the fight. She points to the economic disparities that persist, noting that the demands of civil rights groups 60 years ago included a $2 minimum wage, which, adjusted for inflation, would be equivalent to $17 today. “As part of [the civil rights groups’] demands, they were asking for a $2 minimum wage. If you hear today people saying $15, well $2 at that time translated to today is $17, so we’re far behind,” King says.
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The Power of Storytelling and Remembrance
Bernice King emphasizes the importance of storytelling in the pursuit of justice and healing. She recognizes that the stories of harm, resilience, and faith are vital to transforming hearts, minds, and our nation. Whether it was the stories told by Dr. Bernice King or Bryan Stevenson and others at the Dr. King commemoration, or the stories of the brave children of Birmingham who defied the oppressive regime of segregation, or the stories of those who marched over the Edmund Pettus Bridge, or those who participated in the march from Selma to Montgomery - the experiences of our brothers and sisters of color, of faith, and those who accompanied them, these stories are vital to the transformation of hearts, minds, and our nation moving forward.
Bernice wrote a children’s book, Coretta based off of Mrs. Coretta Scott King’s autobiography, My Life, My Love, My Legacy and celebrates her parents each year with The King Center’s King Holiday Observance events, along with the Martin Luther King, Jr. This year, they plan to honor community heroes-like actress Jenifer Lewis, who will receive the Yolanda D. King Higher Ground Award.
A Call to Action: Embracing Truth, Justice, and Healing
Bernice King's life and work serve as a powerful call to action. She urges individuals and communities to confront the legacy of racial injustice, embrace truth-telling, and work towards restorative justice. She underscores the importance of listening to and learning from the experiences of Black Americans and Black faith leaders.
Bernice is inspired by Restorative Justice (RJ) - specifically in the context of helping name and heal the harm from the scourge of clergy abuse and leadership failures in the Catholic Church. In addition, my colleague Julie Craven and I lead a new Initiative on Restorative Justice and Healing (IRJH) at the University of St. Thomas School of Law. Restorative justice is rooted in the Indigenous practices of First Nation peoples of North America and New Zealand. These practices were employed in response to harm, which included various leaders and members of the community. RJ has now become a world-wide movement, effectively employed across various professions and disciplines. RJ has proliferated globally because of its effectiveness, its adaptability to various circumstances, and because it includes various stakeholders. The connection between Restorative Justice and Catholic Social Teaching (CST) is manifold in their respective goals and methodologies - to prophetically name harm and injustice with the goal of promoting accountability and fostering restoration and healing. Both RJ and CST promote the attainment of justice and personal and collective flourishing. One of the most important connections between the legacy of racial injustice in the United States and the harm of clergy abuse in the Catholic Church is the dehumanization of victims, the abuse of power, and, in the wake of harm, the move to blame those who have been harmed. To quote my late friend Tom Johnson, former County Attorney of Hennepin and victim-advocate, this response, in each case, represents an inversion of the moral order. Recently, a group of Catholics formed to begin a National Catholic Restorative Justice Initiative aimed at helping memorialize and heal the harm of clergy abuse. I am heartened to be part of this new group. Dr. I come away from our civil rights pilgrimage even more emboldened to enter into the vital work of justice and healing. Both in the area of racial injustice and in the case of harm from sexual violence and the abuse of power, truth-telling is critical, as is the importance of stories and empathetic listening. In each case, harm needs to be clearly named and acknowledged, harm needs to be repaired, and unjust systems which have perpetuated harm need to be transformed. For Christians, the teachings of Jesus offer both a rebuke in the wake of past injustice and light the roadmap toward restoration. The story of the Good Samaritan is paradigmatic of Jesus’s mandate of the necessary Christian response. We must respond to those who have been harmed and left on the side of the road with compassion and care - and with resolute determination to name, stop, and help heal the harm. Matthew 25 tells us that Jesus himself is present in the poor, disposed, and those abused, and that our response - for good or for ill - has, in justice, eternal consequences. First, one of the truths that emerged in the work of helping heal the harm of clergy abuse is that the response of the Catholic Church must be victim-survivor centered. The wisdom of victim-survivors - wisdom borne of their wounds must light the path forward. Similarly, the wisdom of Black Americans and Black faith leaders is central to our path forward as a Twin Cities community and as a nation. This is not meant to burden Black Americans and Black faith leaders with the responsibility of restoration - not in the least - but to exhort White Americans and White leaders to listen and learn from the experience of Black Americans and their insights as to effects of racial injustice and what must happen in response. This was so clear on our bus ride to Alabama, as our three Black clergy colleagues spoke with great wisdom and insight. Second, storytelling must be central to the work of repairing harm and fostering justice in the Twin Cities and beyond. On our civil rights pilgrimage, it was the stories of harm, but also stories of resilience and faith that moved us. Whether it was the stories told by Dr. Bernice King or Bryan Stevenson and others at the Dr. King commemoration, or the stories of the brave children of Birmingham who defied the oppressive regime of segregation, or the stories of those who marched over the Edmund Pettus Bridge, or those who participated in the march from Selma to Montgomery - the experiences of our brothers and sisters of color, of faith, and those who accompanied them, these stories are vital to the transformation of hearts, minds, and our nation moving forward. This has also been the case with victim-survivors of clergy abuse. Their stories of harm and acute suffering are vital for a future of the Catholic Church that is more just, compassionate, and authentic. There is a reason why Jesus taught through stories. Third, the places of the greatest harm - ground zero places - can also be the places of greatest healing and transformation. It is noteworthy that in the Christian faith, the Holy Sepulcher, in Jerusalem, is the site of Jesus’s crucifixion and the tomb where he was raised. The Paschal Mystery encompasses harm, suffering, love, passion, healing, and new life. It also encompasses Shalom - the word of the Risen Christ on Easter Sunday. All is reconciled, all is redeemed, all is restored - all is well. But first as a Twin Cities community and as a nation we must pass through the crucible. We must acknowledge the deep harm and pain as other communities and nations have done before us. The state and community that manifests some of the most acute racial disparities - Minnesota - the only state in the upper Midwest that carries the sad legacy of three lynchings - Minnesota - the state that saw the brutal murder of George Floyd - Minnesota - can also be the place of true justice, healing, and peace. This will require much from our community, from our faith leaders, and from those who profess their belief in a God of justice and healing. I am heartened that our interfaith clergy group of Minneapolis is returning from our pilgrimage with the mandate that we must and will work together to build a more just and peaceful Twin Cities community. Lastly, two signs of hope for the future ahead are emblazoned on my heart and mind. In Montgomery, at the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, we were confronted with the legacy of 4,400 documented lynchings and 830 pillars representing the counties in the United States where these lynchings occurred. One of the 830 pillars was of St. Louis County where the Duluth lynchings took place. The National Memorial also included those places - including Duluth - which have acknowledged these senseless and violent murders, as well as the deep harm and shame that attends these privations of life and liberty. This is the only path forward for a nation born in genocide and prospered on the backs and spent lives of Indigenous and Black Americans. My final sign of hope was at this very same site in Montgomery, which chronicles so much harm and devastation. Here, on this site, the dogwoods were blooming - on an unusually warm winter day, there were signs of hope of a coming spring and new life. God, who is the source of all life and justice, will restore and renew the world that God has made. Photo provided by: Fr. Bearing Witness to the Wounds and the Foot Soldiers for JusticeFr. Day three of our civil rights pilgrimage took us from Birmingham to Selma, and to Montgomery, Alabama. I use the word pilgrimage with intentionality as our journey is more than a tour. A pilgrimage is a sacred journey that is made in faith. We follow in the footsteps of those courageous men and women who were foot soldiers in the cause of freedom and justice - those who lost their lives, lost their freedom, or those who suffered violence and terror in their efforts to seek God-given rights. Many of these foot soldiers were motivated by and sustained by their faith in God - a God who journeyed with them in their time of trial. There is a heaviness we experience in hearing story after story of harm, violence, and in some cases, brutal death. As heavy as this feels for some, I think often of our three Black clergy colleagues who are on this pilgrimage and what they may be feeling. In addition, what is also clear is that the building and defending of the edifice of racial hierarchy is ingrained in American life and our history. To be sure, this has left deep scars, trauma, and intergenerational harm from which we have neither experienced a full reckoning nor have begun to recover as a nation. An important part of the needed restoration is to tell the truth, memorialize the suffering, heal the wounds, and repair the harm. One of the most moving parts of our collective journey was the conversation among the 11 clergy about the struggle for racial equality and what we can collectively do to help build a more just and peaceful Twin Cities community. What I felt during the conversation was the need to listen and learn from my fellow clergy, specifically to listen to our Black colleagues and to learn from their experience and insights. I was struck by their strong agreement and their similar experiences of where we currently are in the struggle for racial justice. One clergy member said that for Black Americans, they are still in a defensive posture - focused on staying alive - and that we remain far from where we need to be as a community and a nation. The question was asked, “does America hate its children?” With all the harm that American children face from poverty, to food insecurity, to gun and school violence, to struggles with mental health, and also racial injustice, this seems to be a relevant and sad question. When we arrived in Selma, we had the opportunity to walk together as a group over the famous Edmund Pettus Bridge which was the scene of Bloody Sunday, March 7, 1965, and the historic march from Selma to Montgomery, which was a turning point in the battle for civil rights in the United States. I would recommend a powerful book by Jon Meacham about John Lewis’s life, faith, and tireless work for civil rights - “His Truth is Marching On: John Lewis and the Power of Hope.” Once we arrived in Montgomery, we attended both the National Museum and Memorial for Peace and Justice, both of which were spearheaded by Bryan Stevenson’s Equal Justice Initiative. The National Memorial for Peace and Justice depicts in a stunning and sobering way, the more than 4,400 documented lynchings that occurred throughout the United States. There are 830 pillars that represent the various counties in the United States where these lynchings have taken place. There are many lynchings which have not been documented and also plans underway for an additional memorial. The memorial also includes plaques of the cities who have named the harm and acknowledged these lynchings in a public way. The work of telling the truth and acknowledging the violence and harm of racial injustice remains vital as a nation as we seek to become more just, more humane, and more peaceful. There is a Pressing Need for Storytelling in the Pursuit of JusticeFr. Yesterday was a powerful beginning to our Minneapolis interfaith clergy civil rights tour. After attending the commemoration of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., our group headed to Morehouse College in Atlanta. Morehouse - adjacent to Spelman College - is one of several Historic Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) which boast an impressive list of alumni who have positively shaped the battle for civil rights in the United States. One of Morehouse’s esteemed alumni (Dr. Pastor McDavid gave us a fantastic tour of Morehouse and provided both important history and inspiring stories. One story that struck me is that at the top of the historic dormitory, which once housed both King and McDavid, was a perch from which students could look out for the Klan who wanted anything but young Black men to receive a quality education. In the battle for civil rights in the United States the stakes are indeed high and education is a game changer - a great equalizer which provides the foundation to rise and to flourish according to one’s natural gifts and hard work. Today, we traveled to Birmingh… This year, the King family is commemorating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s 96th birthday. His daughter, Dr. Bernice King, continues to shine a light on her parents’ mission through her work as an activist and CEO of The King Center in Atlanta, which was founded by her mother just two months after her father was assassinated. Bernice wrote a children’s book, Coretta based off of Mrs. Coretta Scott King’s autobiography, My Life, My Love, My Legacy and celebrates her parents each year with The King Center’s King Holiday Observance events, along with the Martin Luther King, Jr. This year, they plan to honor community heroes-like actress Jenifer Lewis, who will receive the Yolanda D. King Higher Ground Award. Bernice King’s eyes shone with excitement as her father, Dr. Civil Rights activist Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Turning to his two sons, he’d ask “Where’s Martin’s and Dexter’s sugar spots?” as the boys beamed, taking turns kissing his cheeks. With shining eyes, he’d then turn to his oldest daughter: “Where’s Yolanda’s sugar spot?” She’d dash into his arms and kiss the side of his mouth. Five turbulent decades later, Bernice still embraces this precious memory of her father. “I remember being at the dinner table and right before Daddy would say a blessing, he’d pick up a long-stemmed green onion and just chew on it like it was a celery stick,” Bernice says with a smile. “When my mother told me that he went to live with God, I asked how Daddy was going to eat. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Bernice’s father’s death was only the first in a long series of heartbreaking losses. A year after MLK was killed, Bernice’s uncle died in a swimming pool. Two years later, Bernice lost her cousin to a heart attack, and went on to endure her grandfather’s, mother’s and older sister’s passings. “When I was old enough to question the Lord, I kept asking ‘God, why did You let all of this death happen?’” Bernice recalls. “I felt abandoned by Him and by my daddy, and I would cry out, ‘Why did You leave me?’ speaking of my Heavenly Father, and my earthly father. “Despite everything, I began to feel an odd calling in my spirit, as if God was drawing me into ministry,” Bernice recalls. “It was difficult and confusing because I felt this strong pull to serve the Lord, but I was still so angry with Him and I didn’t want to give up partying. “I felt so alone and unloved that I tried to find a way to commit suicide,” Bernice admits. “It sounds crazy but there was a moment when I had a knife in my hand trying to figure out how to stab myself but not feel pain. Suddenly, I had an encounter with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit said to me, ‘Put the knife down, people are going to miss you. From that point on Bernice says that she completely yielded her life to Christ, and her whole life changed. “I realized if God can do this for me knowing how much pain and fear was in my heart, then nothing is impossible for the Lord,” she says. Bernice King onstage at the 2015 Martin Luther King, Jr. After surrendering her heart to God’s calling, Bernice went on to graduate with a joint Doctorate of Law and Master of Divinity. “My father taught love and nonviolence, not as a mere tactic but as a way of life,” Bernice says. “I dream of one day seeing the peaceful world my father so longed for,” she says. “But it took my own struggle to see God doesn’t give up on us. I was angry for so long, but all I had to do was surrender. Looking back now, Bernice says James 1:2-4 beautifully sums up her journey. “It says, Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. Bernice A. Bernice A. Bernice A. My message at last evening's candlelight musical celebration of life for my brother, Dexter. Thank you, sincerely, for your condolences, kind words, and prayers. 'I love you': Dr. I offer my deepest condolences to you and your family on the loss of your brother, Dexter King. Your family has faced untimely losses and the burden of growing up in the spotlight with the weight of a nation's expectations. The strength and resilience you have shown in navigating these challenges is truly remarkable. Your father, Dr. Despite the immense burden of living up to the nation's expectations, you and your family have persevered, carrying forward your father's vision and principles. I hope you find comfort in personal memories from your childhood that are unknown to the world. During this difficult time, lean on the support of your loved ones and the countless individuals who have been inspired by your family's journey. I am sorry for the passing of Dexter King. I did not know him well but use to see him on the Morehouse campus freshman year. During that time, a lot of the students were playing and singing rap music. He was extremely humble to be the son of Dr. Martin Luther King. When I would see him, i kept saying that is Dr. Dr. King daughter sounds like her beloved Father. Her speech and character IS AWESOME.!!!!!!! I ENJOYED THE MEMORIAL SERVICE. SHE NEEDS TO SPEAK MORE TO THE PEOPLE. My Sincerest Condolences to The Family and Loved Ones.. Well done Good and Faithful Servant… Welcome into the House of The Lord…. Your family has given so much. Sacrificed so much. Blessed us all so much. A debt we can never repay. Sorry! For your lost. I remember seeing a picture of you in your mother’s lap at your dads funeral. Much love and prayers sorry for your lost . "Freedom never comes easy.
Remembering Dexter King
Bernice King shared a heartfelt message at the candlelight musical celebration of life for her brother, Dexter. During that time, a lot of the students were playing and singing rap music. He was extremely humble to be the son of Dr. Martin Luther King.
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