Black History Month gives us a chance to reflect on legacy and service.
As we observe Black History Month this February, I am blessed to reflect on my family’s history — "The King Family Legacy."
While we have grown from tragedy to triumph, there are always poignant reflections, especially during February of each year: Black History Month.
This Black History Month, I would like to ask for prayers for our family as we observe the recent passing of our beloved family member, Dexter Scott King.
He will be missed.
We are fortunate that Scripture offers us so much about the passing of loved ones.
Additionally, I’d like to honor the memory of my grandmother. "Big Mama" King, as she was known to some.
She blessed our world as a talented musician, civil rights leader, and woman of faith.
She was an example to humankind, and we would all do more than well to embrace and learn from the many examples she set for us.
I’d like to also honor the life and legacy of Bishop Dean Nelson; beloved Man of God, family man, community leader.
Every year since his passing, I am reminded of one of my Uncle the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and his most well-known quotes.
From the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, he declared, "I Have a Dream."
He said, "It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed."
For many, that creed reflects the very principles this country was built upon and enshrined in our founding documents.
Dr. King's dream, to this day, embraces life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all people.
His dream includes equal rights, equality under the law, opportunity, and dignity for all.
In recent history, for four years, we saw the American Dream reignited.
Our nation's 45th president, Donald J. Trump, never pandered to Blacks.
- He didn't offer handouts.
- He didn't embrace pro-abortion rights and anti-family policies.
- Instead, Blacks experienced breakthroughs, human dignity, and new opportunities to dream and succeed in life.
Reflecting on policies like Opportunity Zones, tax cuts and regulation recissions, school choice, a secure border, and global stability helped lower Black unemployment and poverty rates.
The Black poverty rate hit the lowest levels ever recorded in our nation's history.
Black median household income rise to the highest it's ever been.
Sadly, this progress was interrupted, and all of these trends were reversed the moment Joe Biden assumed office.
Under "Bidenomics," positive initiatives such as school choice, sanctity of life, religious freedom, and public safety have been driven from our lives, only to be replaced by abortion, and other life-hindering societal disasters.
Additionally, the Department of Justice (DOJ) is now weaponized: against people of faith and political opponents.
Meanwhile the current state of the Black community only worsens.
In abandoning solutions that work, inclusive of anti-abortion initiatives and education reform, the current administration has been more interested in things like distributing crack pipes in the name of "racial equity."
Meanwhile stirring the "race-baiting" pot continues, as anti-family and anti-life policies are foisted upon not just Blacks, but others.
Many minds are reeling at this seemingly overt effort to not only rebuke Dr. King's, and the American Dream, but outright revoke it.
My heart breaks over our America today!
Yet my faith, hope, and love for our merciful God remain. As Christians, we are called to be ever forgiving, always repenting.
This beautiful scripture should be kept in front of us, at all times: "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone."
Let’s not overlook the beams in our eyes, and pray that this "stone-casting" against my uncle ceases. Now.
Over 60 years ago, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King said that "instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given its colored people a bad check, a check that has come back marked 'insufficient funds'."
But my uncle also said he "refused to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation."
It’s time to redeposit the check.
For the sake of our children, it's time to refuse to believe that those vaults of opportunity are empty. Although the current policies in Washington are sending bad checks to the Black community once again, we have seen the achievements that can be made when our leaders put America First policies into action.
In 2024 it’s time again to demand life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness at the ballot box.
The dream is not dead.
The progress we have already made forms the very core of my uncle’s dream; let’s reignite that spark today. Let’s recommit to compassion, service, and human dignity.
Demand change in Washington. Demand societal change.
May God’s love replace hate, death, and fear.
- No more killing.
- No more fighting over Anthems.
- Let’s learn to sing and embrace life together — through God’s seeing-all eyes.
I still have a dream for America. I know you do too.
May God Bless us all. May God Bless the United States of America.
Alveda C. King, Ph.D., is chair of the America First Policy Institute’s Center for the American Dream. She is the daughter of the late slain civil rights activist Rev. A. D. King and the niece of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. She is founder of Speak for Life, and Alveda King Ministries. Dr. King is also an acclaimed author, television host, and contributor. She is author of "How Can the Dream Survive?" She served in the Georgia State House, and has been a presidential appointee, as well as a recipient of the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award. Read More — Here.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.