Bernice King continues to carry her father’s legacy, but along her own path 

Caitlin Cruz, SPLC

In any setting, Bernice A. King commands attention. Whether she is on the dais or waiting in the wings, her presence and confidence exude a resolve forged during a lifetime in the spotlight.

As the Southern Poverty Law Center set up video equipment for an interview with King at the end of a long day of speeches, podcast interviews, soundbites and sit-down interviews, her voice — with its deep, distinctive cadence reminiscent of her father’s — cut through the chatter.

“Quiet on the set,” she said, laughing, as her team got boisterous in the cozy, secluded theater at The King Center in Atlanta’s Sweet Auburn neighborhood earlier this month. 

Being the most visible child of one of America’s famous couples on the week everyone remembers their names is hard work for anyone. Yet King was kind and warm, even though the SPLC was conducting what must have been her 20^th interview of the day. The King Center will honor the legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., whose birthday is today, with a week of in-person, virtual and hybrid programming for all ages. 

“Every year from 1969 until now, we’ve commemorated my father’s birthday in a substantial way,” King said. “Even before there was a national holiday, we in Atlanta were doing King Week — and King Week was like 10 days at the time. Because of all of that, year after year, it’s become a part of who I am.”

This year, The King Center will celebrate the 41st annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day with the theme “Mission Possible 2: Building Community, Uniting a Nation the Nonviolent Way.” The scheduled events include community workshops, film screenings, community service events and a service at the Ebenezer Baptist Church, where King co-pastored with his father, the Rev. Martin Luther King Sr.

During the week of festivities, The King Center will honor a diverse group of people and organizations including singer/songwriter Billie Eilish, Oscar-winning actress Viola Davis, Sesame Workshop, former White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and The Lebron James Family Foundation, among others.

The hustle and bustle of the week thrills King, as it’s the most external way to promote the legacy of her father and mother, Coretta Scott King.

Keep reading.

See how King interprets her father’s most famous speech.

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