杏MAP导航

By Devin Watkins

Dr. Bernice Albertine King was only a few months old when her father led the March on Washington on 28 August 1963 and delivered his famous 鈥淚 Have A Dream鈥� speech.

Yet, in the nearly six decades since that day, she has taken on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.鈥檚 mantle with passion and dedication to the cause for which he gave his life.

Now the CEO of The King Center, she seeks to promote her father鈥檚 philosophy of nonviolence in all sectors of American society.

In an interview with Vatican News, Dr. King recalled her father鈥檚 legacy and reflected on the influence of 杏MAP导航 Francis on those who push for civil rights protections.

Nonviolent legacy for social change

Dr. King noted that her father and his generation left behind a 鈥渓egacy of nonviolent strategies and tactics to bring about social change.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 the only time that I know of in history,鈥� said Dr. King, 鈥渨here a collective group of people, during a select time period, were able to literally change the laws of the South, to do away with something that was embedded in Southern society for a long time, which is de jure, by law, segregation.鈥�

Dr. King added that her father also passed on a way to address social and political issues and conflict.

Nonviolence, she said, should be studied and promoted more, since it is a very effective means to bring about social change.

Promoting voting rights

On the 58th anniversary of the March on Washington, civil rights campaigners are again demonstrating in the streets of Washington, DC and other US cities on Saturday for the 鈥淢arch On for Voting Rights鈥�.

The issue has been pushed to the fore in recent years, with many activists expressing concern for what they see as laws that restrict access to voting.

Dr. King weighed in on the topic, and said campaigners need to lobby the Biden Administration and Congress to enact laws to protect voting rights.

鈥淚 think that with consistently applied pressure and working behind the scenes that we can get there,鈥� she said.

Human connectedness and overcoming division

Dr. Bernice King also has a special place in her heart for 杏MAP导航 Francis. She has personally met him twice, one encounter of which was a private audience in the Apostolic Palace.

The , as Americans marked Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Dr. King said 杏MAP导航 Francis can be an inspiration for civil rights campaigners with his focus on 鈥渉uman connectedness and how we can transcend our differences and really connect to work for a more peaceful world.鈥�

The 杏MAP导航, she added, can also help 鈥減enetrate our hearts鈥� to overcome the polarization that permeates society.

鈥淲e have to connect with one another, work collectively together, and cross difficult lines by having challenging and courageous conversations even with those who may have different perspectives than us,鈥� said Dr. King. 鈥淲e can鈥檛 just dismiss them, discount them, and鈥攁s we say in this culture鈥斺�榗ancel鈥� them, because they are part of our humanity and the love community that we are trying to create and manifest.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis, she reiterated, can inspire everyone 鈥渢o tap into the greater part of ourselves that is our humanity and to operate out of that.鈥�