Fifty two years after his assassination Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s family says his legacy still lives. This amid a chapter of divisive American politics and undercurrents of racism. Monday is Dr Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the United States. It’s held annually on the third Monday of January.
The late American civil rights leader championed justice and equality for black Americans from the 1950’s, until his death in 1968. As Americans mark the day in his honour, his legacy is still being kept alive.
Speaking to SABC News, Dr Bernice King, who is the daughter of the late Dr Martin Luther King Jr, says they have numerous activities planned to honour the civil rights leader. “We have numerous events here in ATL (Atlanta), non-violence education and training, we have annual salute. On the actual holiday the 20th January we start with a commemorative service where we have numerous tributes from elected officials and it’s a reflection of different religions and political affiliations. Then we have the preached word.”
Decades later, America embraced a new promise of hope and change when former President Barack Obama became the first black American President. However, that was not going to reverse deep-rooted inequality, racism and injustice.
“We don’t want people to be surprised or ignorant of the fact that under President Barack Obama we still had racial issues, racial strife in America. It was just dormant and I think too many people got excited about having a black President and didn’t realise that we still have issues of race, inequality, wealth disparity and we gotta continue to get comfortable when we think we elect someone who looks like us, that’s when problems ensue,” says Dr Bernice King.
Dr Bernice King expresses feelings on the racial issues under former President Donald Trump.
“That’s what happened for eight years. They were there all along and just came more to the surface under president Trump because he has allowed and expressed certain things that invite people to feel and live out their hateful ideologies,” says Dr Bernice King.
Dr Bernice King says it is also hard to believe that President Donald Trump is not a racist.
“What I would say is it’s very difficult to believe that he is not because of the policies and statements,” says Dr Bernice King.
Dr Bernice King did not comment on whether President Trump should go or continue as President. Dr Martin Luther King Jnr Day is marked as the third Senate impeachment trial of a US president in history formally gets underway on Monday.
