Bernice King: Why Dr. King’s nonviolence principles are crucial in 2026

MLK's message more important than ever: Bernice King

As the nation prepares to observe the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday on Jan. 19, Dr. Bernice King says her father’s philosophy of nonviolence is more than a historical memory. It is a necessary "blueprint" for navigating modern global unrest.

ATLANTA - As the nation prepares to observe the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday on Jan. 19, Dr. Bernice King says her father’s philosophy of nonviolence is more than a historical memory. It is a necessary "blueprint" for navigating modern global unrest.

What they're saying:

In a one-on-one interview with FOX 5 Atlanta, the CEO of the King Center emphasized that truly honoring the civil rights leader requires moving beyond annual ceremonies and toward a rigorous, year-round study of his principles.

"When we see this kind of, unrest, you know, we need to refer back to the prophet King, that be intentional about choosing community over chaos and being focused on that," King said. "I mean, it is an intentional mental focus. You know, if we're not going to be intentional about this, we will continue to repeat things over and over again."

Atlanta, the birthplace of Dr. King and the "cradle of the civil rights movement," expects thousands of visitors to converge on the MLK Jr. National Historic Site and Ebenezer Baptist Church this Monday. While King acknowledged she has seen an increase in engagement in recent years, she warned against a "reactionary" approach to social issues.

She noted that the holiday should serve as a time to "recenter" and "refocus," but stressed that her father's methods require deep commitment rather than casual observation.

"Hopefully, people will begin to truly study the nonviolent way. Because it has to be studied," King said. "It can't just be a filmstrip here, a sermon or speech here. There are teachings there. We do that here at the King Center. There are immersions. You know there's critical analysis of the principles and steps that Dr. King followed to get to the outcome that they got to."

King encouraged the public to view the "human family" as interconnected and interdependent, suggesting that personal change is the first step toward broader societal shifts.

"I’m going to interact with people in this human family on a daily basis," she said. "And if I understand that we are interconnected, we are interrelated, that we are interdependent, then my process of how I see you talk, I talk to you and engage you is going to be dictated by that."

Martin Luther King Jr.'s daughter reflects ahead of holiday

Bernice King, the daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and CEO of the King Center, reflects on the importance of service ahead of MLK day this January 19th. Hear what she has to say.

What's next:

The King Center continues to host activities, immersions, and programs throughout the year to help the public put these teachings into practice. Information regarding holiday events and year-round programming is available on the center's website.