Bernice King: Education, Career, and Carrying on a Legacy
Bernice Albertine King, born on March 28, 1963, is the youngest child of the iconic civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King. Her life has been deeply intertwined with the legacy of her parents, and she has dedicated herself to continuing their work in the pursuit of justice, equality, and peace. This article explores Bernice King's educational background, her career path, and her significant contributions to society.
Early Life and Education
Bernice King was only five years old when her father was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee. The loss of her father at such a young age profoundly impacted her life. She has only two strong memories of her father, one of him at home with their family and the other of him lying in the casket at his funeral. As she grew older, she grappled with the pain of his absence, admitting that at around fifteen or sixteen, she was angry at him because he left her.
Despite the tragedy, Bernice was raised in a home filled with love, faith, and a strong commitment to service. Her mother, Coretta Scott King, instilled in her children the values of nonviolence, social justice, and the importance of education. Coretta constantly taught them about service to humanity, and she would recite over and over again the scripture that Martin Luther King Jr. taught them: "He who would be the greatest among you must be the servant."
Bernice attended The Galloway School before graduating from Douglass High School in Atlanta in 1981. She initially enrolled at Grinnell College in Iowa but soon transferred to Spelman College, a historically black women's college, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology in 1985.
Driven by a desire to both honor her parents' legacy and forge her own path, Bernice pursued advanced degrees in ministry and law. She earned both a Master of Divinity (MDiv) and a Juris Doctor (JD) from Emory University in 1990. She became a member of the State Bar of Georgia and was later given an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity by Wesley College, an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Spelman College, and an honorary Doctor of Laws from Grinnell College.
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Calling to Ministry
Mirroring her father’s early induction into the church, Bernice felt a call to the ministry at the age of seventeen. She has said that her calling to the ministry would be the perpetuation of the flame, the spirit of her father living on. This calling solidified after watching a documentary about her father's life and the Civil Rights Movement, which triggered an emotional awakening and a deeper understanding of her purpose.
On March 27, 1988, nearly 20 years after her father's assassination, Bernice delivered her first sermon at Ebenezer Baptist Church, the same church where her father and grandfather had served as pastors. The sermon's theme was "You've Got To Rise Above The Crowd." She said her decision to deliver the sermon as "affirming a call I received at 17." She also said, "At some point in our lives, comes the moment of decision. For me, that moment is now." Her powerful message and preaching style drew comparisons to her father, with some suggesting that preaching was hereditary.
Bernice was ordained as a minister in 1990, becoming the second woman to be ordained at Ebenezer Baptist Church. She served as an assistant minister at Ebenezer from 1990 to 1993 before becoming a minister at Greater Rising Star Baptist Church in Atlanta. Impressed by the church's community programs, she became senior pastor in charge of the youth and women's ministries in 1995.
Career and Leadership
Bernice King's career has been multifaceted, encompassing ministry, law, activism, and leadership. Employing her legal background, she has consulted with youth, especially those in trouble. She served as a law clerk for Judge Glenda Hatchett, the Chief Judge of The Fulton County Juvenile Detention Court, from 1990 to 1992. She also served for seven years as an Assistant Pastor of Greater Rising Star Baptist Church in Atlanta where she organized and developed several new ministries.
In 2009, King was chosen as the first female president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), an organization co-founded and led by her father. However, due to the organization's financial difficulties and internal conflicts, she ultimately did not assume the role.
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The King Center
Bernice King's most prominent role is as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change (The King Center). Founded by her mother, Coretta Scott King, in 1968, The King Center serves as the official living memorial to the life, work, and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
Bernice was appointed CEO of The King Center in January 2012, the same position once held by her mother. As CEO, she is responsible for advancing her parents' legacy of Kingian Nonviolence, which she has rebranded as Nonviolence365TM. Through her work at The King Center, she educates youth and adults around the world about the nonviolent principles modeled by her parents.
Under her leadership, The King Center has implemented numerous initiatives reaching over 500,000 people around the world, including:
- The Beloved Community Leadership Academy: A program designed to develop leaders committed to building a just and equitable society.
- Students with King: An initiative that enables students to interact with King family members and those who knew and worked with Dr. and Mrs. King.
- Nonviolence365® Education & Training: A comprehensive curriculum that teaches the principles and strategies of nonviolence.
- The Beloved Community Talks: A platform for courageous conversations about difficult racial and social justice issues.
Dr. King led the development of an NV365 certification program for trainers, which provides individuals with the opportunity to teach the NV365 curriculum on behalf of The King Center.
In addition to these programs, Bernice has focused on transforming the physical King Center campus, adding the sound of her parents' voices to the visitor experience and restoring key landmarks.
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Other Notable Activities
Bernice King has been involved in numerous other activities and initiatives, including:
- Spearheading the 2013 "Let Freedom Ring" event commemorating the 50th Anniversary of The March on Washington and her father's "I Have a Dream" speech.
- Launching the "100 Days of Nonviolence" campaign at the Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy (CSKYWLA) to expose the girls to nonviolence as modeled by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Nonviolence 365), and to encourage them to begin embracing it as a way of life.
- Leading The King Center team in engaging educators, law enforcement, civic leaders, activists, gang members and business leaders in the Ferguson community in dialogue and Nonviolence365 training after the tragic death of Michael Brown.
- Facilitating Nonviolence365 for Law Enforcement, aiming to build relationships between community and law enforcement and to decrease incidents of police brutality.
- Initiating the Beloved Community Talks to begin having courageous conversations about the difficult racial issues impacting our communities, nation and world.
Recognition and Awards
Bernice King's contributions have been widely recognized through numerous awards and honors, including:
- Two Phoenix Awards: one from The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation in 2020 and another from the City of Atlanta in 2023.
- Atlanta Business Chronicle Lifetime Achievement Award for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (2021).
- Honorary Doctor of Divinity from Wesley College and Clinton College.
- Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Spelman College.
- Honorary Doctor of Laws from Grinnell College.
Personal Life and Beliefs
Bernice King is a member of the State Bar of Georgia, a registered mediator, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated (AKA), the Rotary Club of Atlanta, the International Women’s Forum (IWF), the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW), and Leadership Atlanta.
She has expressed a strong concern for youth, family, and community partnership.
Bernice King has also been a vocal advocate for nonviolence, social justice, and equality. She believes that Nonviolence365 is the answer to society's problems and promotes it being embraced as a way of life.
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