Martin Luther King Jr.'s son, daughter-in-law, with co-authors and contributors, including Julia Roberts and Rev. Al Sharpton, penned new book, 'What is My Legacy?'
Martin Luther King III, Arndrea Waters King on uniting America, creating an empowered legacy
Martin Luther King Jr.'s son, Martin Luther King III, and MLK III's wife, Arndrea Waters King, discuss drawing inspiration from Dr. King's and Coretta Scott King's legacy and shared activism to create a more united America.
Annually, around the time of Monday’s federal holiday, there is a noticeable uptick in education and conversation about the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., one of the most prominent civil rights leaders in U.S. history.
This year, Martin Luther King III and his wife, Arndrea Waters King, implore readers to draw inspiration from their newly released co-authored book, "What is My Legacy?," to create change and a lasting humanitarian impact and explore their own legacies through self-fulfillment and community.
"At a time of great disconnect and divide, we wrote this book to bring us back to a place where we can be together," King III told Fox News Digital. "We used to have, in our society, civil dialogue. Now, the dialogue leans toward not being civil. In my judgment, that is not a productive method of moving the nation forward and creating the United States which we say we are. I think we have to reflect who we say we are."
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Martin Luther King III and wife Arndrea Waters King co-authored "What is My Legacy?" to empower individuals to find themselves in the MLK Jr. legacy. (Getty Images)
King III, Waters King, brothers and Canadian activists Marc and Craig Kielburger and nearly 30 contributors penned "What is My Legacy?" to reflect with readers on the transformative impact of MLK Jr. by discovering their own legacies, whether complex or community-focused.
"What we hope more than ever is for people to find themselves within the King legacy," Waters King told Fox News Digital. "We think that we are all heirs to the King legacy, and we all have a unique and powerful and important role to play in creating that beloved community that Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King talked about."
The King family hopes the book, with anecdotes written by actress Julia Roberts, Rev. Al Sharpton, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, and Melinda French Gates, among others, will serve as a cornerstone to promote the ideology of neighbor helping neighbor.
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"Civility has got to be brought back," King III said. "I want our children to respect all of us, even when we may have a different position.
"When we’re turning to each other and assisting each other in projects, we’re lifting each other."
Touching on the cooperative efforts of Americans to support Californians with finances, food and clothing, King III says society has been reminded during the LA fires that cultural change and nonviolent leadership is alive and well.
"Americans are sending money," he said. "They're sending clothes. They're sending food, whatever they can do to help people get back to their station in life.
"That's who we are as a people."
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King III and Waters King were repeatedly reminded of the theme that humanity is one by the Dalai Lama, who wrote the book’s foreword, when they visited the spiritual leader in India.
Waters King hopes people delve deeply into the lasting change established by figures like MLK Jr., Nelson Mandela, Gandhi, Mother Teresa and Harriet Tubman, among others, and carry the same lineage forward in 2025.
"I think that people can come away with feeling inspired to again live out their legacy," Waters King said. "We all have a role to play in the uplifting of humanity."
Nobel Peace Prize recipient Dr. King championed social justice and racial equality during a time when opportunities for African Americans were scarce. While leading transformative change is a daunting feat, the Kings are advocating for respectful discourse, peace and collective action daily, no matter the measurable impact.
Martin Luther King III first read the beloved quote, "Be ashamed to die until you've won a victory for humanity," by Horace Mann, when he visited Antioch College with his mother, Coretta Scott King. (Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
"It doesn't have to be a monumental legacy," King III told Fox News Digital. "But it’s yours. It’s what you've chosen to do and, hopefully, what you're doing is a little something to make the world better.
"I love the quote ‘Be ashamed to die until you've won a victory for humanity,’" he said of the quote by Horace Mann, known as the Father of American Education.
King III was first introduced to the quote at Antioch College when he accompanied his mother to her alma mater.
"We can win a victory on our street or a victory in our places of worship or a victory in our schools or a victory in our cities," he said. "Some may win victories in our states and in our nation. Some may win victories in our world. All those words mean, though, are be ashamed to die until you've done a little something to make the world a little better than it was when you arrived.
"All of us have the capacity to build legacies," King III added. "Some of us may build huge legacies, but all of us, we want everyone to know your legacy is important. It's important to your family. It's important to, of course, your children. It may be important to your community."
Gabriele Regalbuto is a Senior Editor of SEO at Fox News Digital. Gabriele has a Journalism and Communications degree from West Virginia University. She has worked to produce content for newspapers, magazines, and digital platforms. At Fox, she has assisted in coverage of breaking news events including the 2024 presidential cycle, 2022 midterm elections, Queen Elizabeth II's death, the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.
