Bernice King calls for MLK's legacy to be taught in full, not just the "comfortable part"

"We have to continue to be resolute in teaching the whole King."
By Amanda Yeo  on 
Bernice King on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
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Martin Luther King Jr. Day has already come and gone this year, but the issues this national holiday highlights remain relevant all year round. On the latest episode of The Daily Show, host Trevor Noah spoke to minister Bernice King about her parents' legacy, and how her father's principles are so often misrepresented.

"In your lifetime you saw your father go from being one of the most hated men in America to now being one of the most beloved men in America, but ironically almost not because he's changed but because people have changed what he stood for," said Noah.

"I never heard it put that way," said King. "Yeah, because we have an affinity for dead and deceased leaders. They're more comfortable when they're no longer with us because they are not able to influence the masses in the same way. It's kind of like good and evil. When you have something that's so powerful and revolutionary like that, people do want to kind of find the easy, comfortable part of it. And I agree with you that that has happened, and that's why we have to continue to be resolute in teaching the whole King."

Amanda Yeo
Amanda Yeo
Assistant Editor

Amanda Yeo is an Assistant Editor at Mashable, covering entertainment, culture, tech, science, and social good. Based in Australia, she writes about everything from video games and K-pop to movies and gadgets.


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