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Bernice King Quotes (1963-)
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About Bernice King
Bernice Albertine King (born March 28, 1963) is a Baptist minister. She is the youngest child of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King.
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βThere is no form of protest against racism that is acceptable to racists.β
βOur country has experienced many divisive dark days, but Godβs hand has guided us through it all.β
βThere is no teaching on the horrors and myriad of monstrous manifestations of white supremacy and racism that will be palatable to white supremacists and racists.β
βThe most intimidating part for me has to do with the whole legacy, and knowing it is a legacy in line with the Christian tradition. I think about Abraham and his son Isaac, and it's kind of frightening.β
βI stand before you as a child of the most high God and citizen of his kingdom, a daughter of the greatest movement of nonviolent social change in our world, a steward of the King legacy and an aggrieved, yet hopeful sister.β
βWhat we must not do is surrender to despair and hopelessness and the cynical assumption that there is nothing we can do. What we must do is turn our anger and outrage into a positive force for reforms that can help prevent future tragedies.β
βOnce again, we face the reality that no one is safe, not even our children at their places of learning. The soul-shattering feelings of anger and despair we feel, along with a sense of hopelessness leave us wondering if our society is irrevocably infected with violence.β
βIt is, deep in my soul, difficult to place what my father described as precious heirlooms under the custody of the government, even if only for a season. Yet, I recognize that justice and righteousness are not always aligned, and there is often a disconnect between God's law and man's law.β
βIn the lawsuit, I've been accused of requiting and sequestering these items, but the reality is that my daddy's bible and Nobel Prize are hidden in plain sight. They know where they are, but perhaps God put them beyond their reach so that they don't misplace what has been bestowed and entrusted to us as custodians.β
βIt was her primary goal to institutionalize his work, and she was the architect of the King legacy as we know it today. The King Center was a way for her to codify the methodology and ideology of the movement and give it longevity. Even with respect to the holiday in January, she worked to define it beyond memorializing him.β
βIn addition to promoting awareness of nonviolence, itβs just possible β indeed it is absolutely critical β that we work with undaunted determination to create a sane firearms policy that makes it harder for disturbed individuals to secure weapons of mass murder. We can no longer afford to shirk this urgent responsibility.β
βMany people donβt know that my mother was the driving force that kept my fatherβs legacy at the forefront of American consciousness. Dr. King was a great man, a scholar, philosopher, theologian, oratorβa leader with character and integrity. But in 1968 there was no guarantee that he would be in the annals of history the way that he is today had it not been for her solidifying his legacy.β
βOn January 20, as we observed my father's eighty fifth birthday and the King holiday, my brothers Dexter Scott King and Martin Luther King III notified me that they want to sell our father's most prized possessions; his personal traveling bible and Nobel Peace Prize awarded fifty years ago this year. The same bible that President Barack Obama was inaugurated on for his second term in office, in which he signed afterwards.β
βShe created the idea of a day βon,β as opposed to a day βoff.β She wanted it to become a holiday of community service so that people felt connected to his work and understood that the struggle continues. She believed that sacrifice is not something that is unrewarding. And ultimately, she wanted his legacy to expand into the realm of human rights. The journey began with civil rights for African Americans, but that was only just the beginning.β
βWhat, we wonder, can be done to prevent such unpredictable outbreaks of violence? No, we canβt always pinpoint when a specific individual will erupt in a spree of deadly violence. But it is just possible that we can begin to create a less violent society, a society in which nonviolent conflict reconciliation is a more widely-held value, a society in which individuals with serious mental health problems are more likely to be identified and more likely to receive needed treatment and care.β
βLastly, I would just call for a national day of prayer to promote healing for the families of the victims of violence in Newtown and the many other cities and towns which have experienced mass shootings and other forms of violence. With continued prayer and an equally-determined commitment to action for needed anti-violence reforms, let us resolve to work toward a new era in which every American child and every adult are protected from the ravages of brutality, safe and secure in our homes and schools and communities.β
βI join with people of all races worldwide in mourning the death of this great lion of African liberation, but celebrating his magnificent life of service to the cause of freedom, human rights and justice for all humanity. Nelson Mandelaβs life and leadership exemplified the highest courage, dignity and dedication to human liberation. His name will always resonate in my heart, as it does in the hearts of millions of people all over the world. His death marks the end of an era, when leaders of unsurpassed courage and integrity walked among us.β
What Bernice King Said About Others
Discover personal opinions Bernice King shared regarding contemporaries.
Bernice King on John Lewis
Bernice King on Michael Jackson
βHe was a thoughtful and selfless man, full of the unconditional love of God and good works, that touched and changed lives. He was indeed a shining light.β
Bernice King on Rosa Parks
βShe sparked a prairie fire that continues to blaze brightly in the hearts of freedom-loving people in all nations; and the non-violent revolution she set in motion continues to reverberate in nation after nation as an inspiration to human liberation movements everywhere. Rosa Parks provided us with a beautiful example of the power of one. How one courageous person can make a great difference in advancing human freedom. She showed us the power of humility and disciplined nonviolence in winning hearts and minds to support our freedom struggle; and she set for the entire world a vibrant example of African American womanhood fully engaged in the work of building a more just and decent society. b kingβ
Bernice King on Coretta Scott King
βMany people donβt know that my mother was the driving force that kept my fatherβs legacy at the forefront of American consciousness. Dr. King was a great man, a scholar, philosopher, theologian, oratorβa leader with character and integrity. But in 1968 there was no guarantee that he would be in the annals of history the way that he is today had it not been for her solidifying his legacy. It was her primary goal to institutionalize his work, and she was the architect of the King legacy as we know it today. The King Center was a way for her to codify the methodology and ideology of the movement and give it longevity. Even with respect to the holiday in January, she worked to define it beyond memorializing him. She created the idea of a day βon,β as opposed to a day βoff.β She wanted it to become a holiday of community service so that people felt connected to his work and understood that the struggle continues. She believed that sacrifice is not something that is unrewarding. And ultimately, she wanted his legacy to expand into the realm of human rights. The journey began with civil rights for African Americans, but that was only just the beginning.β
About Bernice King
Bernice Albertine King (born March 28, 1963) is a Baptist minister. She is the youngest child of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King.