President's Message

MARTIN LUTHER KING, III
President and Chief Executive Officer
The King Center

As the President and Chief Executive Officer of The King Center for Nonviolent Social Change, I am honored that you have taken an interest in our work.

I have dedicated my life to championing the causes of my father, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. , but nearly a half century after he launched perhaps the greatest movement of the 20th century, much of his work remains undone. Men and women worldwide are plagued by poverty, discrimination and war, comforted only by the distant hope that a better day may one day be theirs. In recent years I have witnessed this truth in communities near and far, working to assist the struggle for peace in the Middle East, the quest for reconciliation in Sri Lanka and Bosnia, the battle against poverty in Kenya and Mississippi, and the desire for equality and justice from Indiana to India.

I strongly believe that when my mother, Coretta Scott King, founded the Center over 20 years ago, she was right to say that it would be “no dead monument, but a living memorial filled with all the vitality that was his, a center of human endeavor, committed to the causes for which he lived and died.” Freedom, justice, equality and peace—those causes are still alive today. The Dream can still be achieved, if only we have the courage to work for it.

As we move into the second decade of the 21st century, the Center is answering that call through its revamped programmatic arm – Realizing the Dream – which develops collaborative projects around the world that champion freedom, justice and equality by redressing poverty, building community and fostering peace through nonviolence. Fueled by programs like the International Nonviolence Initiative and Generation II Global Peace Program, the Center is poised to enter a new era of action, impact and accomplishment. These efforts will build on the impressive record of success that the Center has already established in recent years, with signature achievements including The King Papers Project, the National King Holiday, the King Library & Archives, nonviolence workshops and innovative exhibits and multimedia materials, resources that will be further strengthened during the coming years.

Tackling the challenges of the future, both at the Center and around the world, will demand courage, sacrifice, dedication and unprecedented creativity. As President and CEO I pledge to wholeheartedly do my part, and my sincerest hope is that you will join me in this quest. Whether you are exploring our site, visiting our center or looking for opportunities to become a peacemaker in your own community, trust that The King Center shares your commitment to realizing the dream today.