COLUMBIA — Alveda King, Ph.D., spoke about abortion in the black community at the University of South Carolina School of Law on Nov. 19. She is a niece of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. She was invited to speak by the GOP Law Society.
King works with Priests for Life and travels to pro-life events around the country. Her talk drew a crowd of undergraduate and graduate students, law students, pro-life leaders and community members. She focused on abortion’s effects on the black community and as a civil rights issue.
“The negro cannot win if he is willing to sacrifice the future of his children,” King said.
She began by framing the abortion issue as the top civil rights issue of the 21st century, just as the fight for black rights was the civil rights issue of the 20th century. She noted that she was uniquely part of both movements, first as the niece and daughter of civil rights activists, and now as a pro-life speaker.
Jim Manning, a sophomore at USC, attended the lecture because Mrs. King is Rev. King’s niece.
“Given that Martin Luther King Jr. was such an influential historical figure, I wanted to hear what his niece had to say,” Manning said. “It was most interesting to hear about what Planned Parenthood is doing, and to hear from her side what the pro-life movement is doing, especially in terms of working with legislators.”
King cited statistics about abortion in the black community, and used quotes from pro-choice leaders to make her point that the black community has been targeted by abortion rights promoters.
She also addressed the notion that her uncle supported abortion. “It is difficult to imagine that a man that non-violent would condone such an act,” King said.
Rev. King received an award from Planned Parenthood in 1966 for community leadership. The organization, America’s largest provider of abortion services, continues to celebrate him as a historical figure supportive of their cause.
His niece shared her personal experience with Planned Parenthood as a post-abortive woman. In addition, King said that reaching out to the black community was part of her mission.
She requests that a community breakfast be held at the venues where she speaks so black leaders will have the opportunity to communicate with one another.
King spoke individually with pro-life leaders and distributed information about her cause at the breakfast held at USC Nov. 20. She encouraged everyone, but especially blacks, to take the materials back to their communities and churches.
“Never write off the African-American community. But they need to find out what’s going on,” King said. “We need to engage the community in truth.”
King has worked with Priests for Life for four years. She is also involved in marriage and family work, gives personal testimony for the Silent No More Awareness Campaign, and has her own organization called King for America.