Breaking Christian News

Dr. Alveda King: African-American and Christian Leaders in DC, "It was absolutely SOLD OUT!"

Aimee Herd : Jan 25, 2017
Breaking Christian News

"In every community ... we must begin to agree and stay together. We are one human race. We are supposed to be brothers and sisters, and we must never ask, 'What can my race do for your race,' but, 'How can I, as your brother and sister, serve you?' We must not say that we are 'color-blind,' because if we're color-blind, we need glasses! ... And so we are moving forward, but once we continue to know that we are created of one blood, to be brothers and sisters, and resolve our differences non-violently, then we shall know that we have overcome." –Dr. Alveda King

On Tuesday afternoon, I was blessed to speak with Dr. Alveda King—niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.—about the growing amount of people among the African-American community who are standing strong for conservative and family values. (Photo: Dr. Alveda King/Reuters/Mary F. Calvert/via Christian Post)

It's something you don't hear much about in mainstream media reports. So we sought Dr. King's valuable insight on what she's experienced in some extraordinary meetings she attended during the week leading up to President Trump's inauguration.

The following is that conversation:

BCN: Dr. King, the picture that the mainstream media paints, they would have us believe that the vast majority of African-American communities in the U.S. are against President Trump. Do you find that to be true?

Dr. King: If you look at it numbers-wise, many of the voters, of course, did vote as Democrats. African-Americans traditionally do, but there was a nice percentage of African-American votes this time for President Trump, and I think that that reflects that people are now listening and paying attention, so I think predominantly African-Americans still vote Democrat, just basically out of loyalty and indoctrination, but he did get quite a bit of attention from the African-American vote this time.

BCN: You've recently held or attended some pretty vibrant meetings during the past couple weeks. What were the purpose of these meetings?

Dr. King: There were meetings among African-American leaders and just constituents, that appreciate conservative values. And we got together to talk about our common values, and also to salute [and to] celebrate African-American leaders who are noted for upholding traditional values; the Bible, and family, and life. So that's what those meetings were.

BCN: Were these meetings well attended and do you have any specific numbers?

Dr. King: Well the Good Shepherd, Good Samaritan Prayer Breakfast on Wednesday, was sold out and they had to reopen the ticket sales. It was absolutely sold out! (Photo: Good Shepherd, Good Samaritan Prayer Breakfast/via Leon Benjamin-Facebook)

BCN: Of all of those meetings, were they primarily African-American attendees or were they also attended by whites?

Dr. King: There were whites in attendance but predominantly African-American.

BCN: So were these meetings mostly prayer meetings?

Dr. King: No, they were award meetings, [and prayer] meetings. It was the 58th Presidential Inaugural of Salute to Republican and African-American Leaders, and that was Wednesday, January 18th, and it was sold out. And then the Good Shepherd, Good Samaritan Prayer Breakfast, it actually sold out and we had to expand the space, and then there was standing room only.

BCN: Oh my that's great.

Dr. King: It really is great. And that's just a couple of examples, but there were others—Dr. Ben Carson hosted a reception during the inauguration. As a matter a fact, at one o'clock on that Friday, and it was packed out. And then the Georgia Republican party had their African-American outreach person host a reception, and it was full. So there were several of those types of people who generally do not know that there are conservative African-Americans.

BCN: Yes, and that's what we want to do, is kind of get the word out about that, because there are probably some African-Americans that are wanting to know if there are other people that think like they do—with family and conservative values, and feeling like they're very much in the minority.

Dr. King: Absolutely. And we still are, don't let me mislead you. As I say, the largest voting block that Mr. Trump was able to achieve was in the low 20% of African-American votes in some precincts. He did get 12 to 13 in a surprising number, but you'd have to—if you just kind of Google, black votes for Trump, and you'll see some numbers. So they are low, I don't want to be deceptive at all, but usually they are even lower, like 5 to 7%, [or] 6% for governor Romney at one point. He received double digits in the African-American community—president Trump did. And it was simply because he asked. He just said, "Vote for me," and he came and he conquered everybody, and asked for the vote.

BCN: He also went there. He went to different urban communities with Dr. Ben Carson. That was a really good step.

Dr. King: It really was. And at the inaugural prayer service last Saturday, I was called, and invited to give prayer and so was Bishop Harry Jackson, and my pastor Darrell Scott. He reaches out to African-Americans, President Trump does, he really does.

BCN: So now in speaking with people in the black community now, after Trump has been elected, and he's been inaugurated, and they've seen him in action this first week; have you spoken to anybody, are you seeing any trends developing where they're maybe warming a little bit more to President Trump or are they taking a wait-and-see approach for the most part?

Dr. King: Well, many heard President Trump say in his inaugural speech. "No matter what our skin color is—black, white, brown," however he said that... (Photo: AFP/via Times of Israel)

BCN: Yes ... that we all bleed the same red blood...

Dr. King: "We bleed [the same] red blood." And he said, "And we should not be prejudiced." So people [in the African-American community] liked that. They wanted to hear that. They were happy to hear that, and that is the most remarked upon piece that I'm hearing. We are one blood. Acts 17:26 says there's one blood; God made all people to live together on the face of the Earth. And because that is true, we are designed to be a family. We should be able to communicate nonviolently, and resolve our differences, and as my good friend and mentor, Dr. Craig Bennett—of Calvary Harvest Church—says, "I just wish people would realize that Jesus did not give that sacrifice and shed His Blood for a skin color. He did it for souls." He said that to me. In fact, he emailed me that this morning.

BCN: So well said! Let me ask you this. In your opinion—because the media paints such a bleak picture right now of America—is America really as divided as the media paints it to be—I know that our hope is in the Lord—but, you see it may(space)be starting to come together more in the African-American community?

Dr. King: Let me count these accurately. I attended a prayer breakfast Thursday morning and Friday morning. I attended a gala Wednesday night. That's the one I was talking to you about, with the African-American leaders. Thursday at noon, I attended, and I prayed at many of these events. I was invited to pray. I attended a prayer meeting, where blacks, and whites, and Asians, and Latinos, and Native Americans—there were Muslims, and Jews, and Baha'is, and everything, on Saturday at the prayer meeting, the prayer service. So I was invited, and unabashedly, without any reservation, was able to pray in the name of Jesus, and lift up the name of the Lord, and I believe that I was among brothers and sisters in all of those instances. I perceived no hostility among us. So we are moving forward. There is still racism in America, but certainly not like it was when I was born in 1951, nor the experiences with the bombings and the brutality and violence that I personally experienced in the 1960s. And so we are moving forward, but once we continue to know that we are created of one blood, to be brothers and sisters, and resolve our differences non-violently, then we shall know that we have overcome. (Photo from Good Shepherd, Good Samaritan Prayer Breakfast/via Twitter)

BCN: Oh, that's good. With that same thought, how can we, in the white community, help to bridge the gap? And how can Christians of all color pray in this season?

Dr. King: In every community, and that includes the Caucasian or white community, we must begin to agree and stay together. We are one human race. We are supposed to be brothers and sisters, and we must never ask, "What can my race do for your race," but, "How can I, as your brother and sister, serve you?" We must not say that we are 'color-blind,' because if we're color-blind, we need glasses [laughter]. We can't see. So we're going to need help there. So those are the kinds of things that we need to do together, and we can.

Dr. Alveda King's new book: "America Return to God" is available by clicking here.