Dr Bernice King

Bernice Albertine King, born on March 28, 1963, in Atlanta, Georgia, is the youngest child of civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King. At the age of five, her father was assassinated. This early tragedy, along with the later deaths of her uncle Alfred Daniel Williams King in 1969 and her grandmother Alberta Williams King in 1974, deeply impacted her. After seeing a documentary about her father at age 16, King chose to pursue a career in ministry, like her father. She earned a Master of Divinity (MDiv) and a Juris Doctor (JD) degree from Emory University in 1990, after completing her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Spelman College in 1985. She was ordained at Ebenezer Baptist Church in 1990, becoming the second woman to be ordained there.

Throughout her career, Dr. King has dedicated herself to advancing the principles of nonviolent social change. She served as an Assistant Pastor at Greater Rising Star Baptist Church in Atlanta for seven years, where she developed new ministries. In 2007, she established the “Be A King Scholarship” at Spelman College in honor of her mother. Dr. King was elected president and CEO of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in 2009, a position previously held by her father and elder brother, Martin Luther King III, marking her as the first woman to lead the organization. However, due to internal discord and perceived lack of support for her revitalization efforts, she declined the presidency in January 2010. She subsequently became CEO of The King Center in 2012, an institution founded by her mother as the official living memorial to her father’s work.

As CEO of The King Center, Dr. King has focused on promoting her parents’ nonviolent philosophy, branded as “Nonviolence365™️.” She has spearheaded numerous initiatives, including the Beloved Community Leadership Academy and Students with King, reaching over 500,000 people globally. Her efforts include developing a Nonviolence365™️ certification program for trainers and leading significant events, such as the 2013 “Let Freedom Ring” commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington, attended by Presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, and Jimmy Carter. Dr. King actively engages in policy, advocacy, research, education, and training, aiming to integrate nonviolence into various societal sectors. In 2020, she influenced Atlanta business leaders to support racial equity and social justice issues, contributing to the successful passage of Georgia’s Hate Crime legislation. She is also the CEO of First Kingdom Management, a Christian consulting firm, and serves on multiple boards, including The National Black Bank Foundation.