Race in America: Voting Rights with Martin Luther King III

The family of Martin Luther King Jr. is calling for “no celebration” on MLK Day if Congress has not passed voting rights legislation. Martin Luther King III, the late civil rights leader’s eldest son and the chair of the Drum Major Institute, discusses his push around voting rights, what he thinks Congress should do about the filibuster and the lessons from his father’s enduring legacy.

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Highlights

“I was… greatly disappointed yesterday… There are 50 Democrats, those two [Sinema and Manchin] included, who say they do support the bills. I don’t know how you support the bills without stating you want a pathway… for that to happen. No one seems to be answering that question.” (Video: Washington Post Live)

“We have requested to have conversations and upto now we have not been able to have a conversation…. Sen. Manchin we have been in touch with, but Sen. Sinema, we have not been able to secure a meeting.” (Video: Washington Post Live)

“Senators Manchin and Sinema talk about bipartisanship. Well none of these bills that are making it harder to vote in these 19 states have been bipartisan. They’ve been all Republicans. So, it’s interesting you have this dual standard.” (Video: Washington Post Live)

"I think that Dad would be most disappointed in our … political leadership in terms of the way they’ve chosen to go in relationship to positions that are going backward and not forward. But he’d be greatly supportive of many things that have happened… because of Black Lives Matter… He’d be so proud of the young people.” (Video: Washington Post Live)

Martin Luther King III

Provided by representatives of Martin Luther King III.

Martin Luther King, III, Chairman of the Drum Major Institute, is the eldest son of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr and has dedicated his life to furthering his father’s message of nonviolent social change. Following in his father’s footsteps, Martin served as the fourth President of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference 1997 to 2004, where he led conversations around police brutality. He now serves as the Chairman of the Drum Major Institute, which works to democratize the King legacy and encourage all people to recognize their power in realizing Dr. King’s dream.