Expanding the King Legacy; 1-on-1 with nephew of Dr. King, Isaac Newton Ferris

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his wife Mrs. Coretta Scott King dedicated their lives to changing the world. News 2’s Octavia Mitchell sat down in a one-on-one interview with Isaac Newton Farris, the nephew of the civil rights icon, as he works to honor, protect, and expand his uncle and aunt’s legacy.

Isaac Newton Farris’ mother is Dr. King’s sister. He was nine days from his sixth birthday when his uncle, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Junior was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee on April 4th, 1968. He says his uncle’s legacy is not just about civil rights.

“It’s a human legacy, not just a black legacy. It’s a legacy that embraces everyone. It’s a legacy that I think has become more relevant as things have progressed as they are in the country. His nonviolence philosophy I think is needed more now than ever before. It’s not just limited to civil rights, it’s human rights, and important that we adopt that, to be more agreeable in our disagreeing.”

Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Farris graduated from his uncle’s alma mater Morehouse College.

He is a senior fellow at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change in Atlanta and writes a syndicated column.

Founded by his aunt, Coretta Scott King, the King Center is a global destination, resource center and community institution, with programs in Atlanta schools. “Our focus, our current CEO, my cousin Bernice, my uncle’s youngest child, has really made a point of focusing on the upcoming generation. We have a lot of programs. We’re heavily involved in the Atlanta public schools with kids trying to indoctrinate them to the philosophy, Farris says.

Farris says he’s proud of the work the King Center is doing to honor his uncle and aunt’s legacy. He says, “I think we’re doing a pretty decent job. I think my aunt Coretta Scott King, the founder, would be happy where we are now.”

They also work to ensure the King holiday is celebrated and respected in the right way. “Ten years after the King holiday was created, Aunt Coretta, Coretta Scott King went back to Congress and said we need to make some changes to the holiday. We need to attach an official legal designation for the King holiday, because the very thing my uncle would not be happy about was turning into a day of solely hero worship. If my uncle was here, he would be like that’s nice, but if you really want to honor my work, honor my life sacrifice, don’t sit around talking about my personal work and don’t just uplift me personally, uplift the work, so what Aunt Coretta asked for and what the president signed into law was the King holiday is a day of service. On that day, you’re supposed to figure out something to do that benefits someone else, not yourself. Step up and do your part, and then encourage everybody you know to get involved, because ultimately, you’re shaping your future. It’s ok if you want to spend part of your day saying hey Dr. King was a great man, but then leave that, and go do something to help somebody. Our theme every year, continual theme is a day on not a day off.”

Farris has strong thoughts on South Carolina’s lack of a hate crimes law. He says, “South Carolina needs a hate crime bill. We’re confronted with hate now more than ever before, and it’s just not racial hate, it’s religious hate, it’s sexual diversity hate, it’s political hate. We’re surrounded by it. So for South Carolina to be not a part of that discussion in the right way, not stepping up and saying in this state, we will not allow this to take place and happen to any citizen, is almost saying South Carolina endorses what is happening.”

Farris has this message for everyone who strives to live his uncle’s dream. He says, “Be involved in a way that works for you. You don’t have to run for office to be involved in your community. You don’t have to be a pastor of a church to be involved in your community. You don’t have to be a government employee to be involved in your community, but be involved in your community.”

For more information on the King Center, click here: https://thekingcenter.org/