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"The pride and treasure of our nation is our youth. Any nation that neglects the teaching and the upbringing of its youth is a nation on the decline"
-Bernice A. King


Bernice A. King (Be A King) is nationally and internationally known as one of the most powerful, motivating and life-changing orators and speakers on the circuit today. Bernice leaves her audiences speechless and challenges people to RAISE THE STANDARD. Born the youngest daughter of the late Coretta Scott King and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Bernice began her oratorical journey when she spoke in her mother's stead at the United Nations at age 17. Over the years, Bernice has had the occasion to speak in such places as The White House, DuPont Corp., Warner-Lambert Corporation, AT&T, NIKE, USANA Health Sciences, University of Toledo, Xavier University, University of North Carolina, Duke University, Pepperdine University, Department of Defense, Salvation Army, and in such places as Sydney, Australia, Lubeck, Germany, Auckland, New Zealand and South Africa to name a few. In the summer of 2000, Bernice narrated the "Lincoln Portrait" along with a symphony orchestra in Keil, Germany at the Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival. Comments, like those below, from audiences around the world reflect how Bernice's speeches have changed their drive and outlook on life:

  • It was an awesome, dynamic, thrilling and mentally provocative. This is a start of a revolutionary move in my life. It was truly a privilege for a Bahamian to hear, touch and feel the daughter of a legend. This day will remain with me forever.
  • I was revitalized and reenergized to keep up the fight.
  • Dynamic! Real! Thought Provoking! Life Changing! Powerful! On Time! Rev. King was wonderful. Words cannot adequately describe how her words touched our lives. She brought a powerful word to the people of Pittsburgh.
  • Her message had a lot of application and reality to it. It challenged, touched, and motivated me in ways I didn't expect.
  • King's words helped me to become less judgmental and close-minded.
  • King's talk motivated me to take up the gauntlet and challenge and motivate others.

Bernice is a graduate of Spelman College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and a Masters of Divinity and Doctorate of Law Degrees from Emory University. She has also received an honorary Doctorate of Divinity degree from Wesley College. She is currently a member of the State Bar of Georgia. On January 30, 2007, the 1st year anniversary of her mother's death, Bernice returned to her alma-mater at Spelman College to announce the establishment of the "Be A King Scholarship in honor of Coretta Scott King."

With a strong concern for community and family partnership, Bernice was privileged to serve as a law clerk in the Fulton County Juvenile Court system, under Judge Glenda Hatchett, host of the nationally syndicated Judge Hatchett show. It was there that she realized that a growing number of teens have been double victims: first of society and secondly of an ineffective legal system based in retribution instead of rehabilitation. Bernice has also served as a mentor to a group of 5th grade girls at an inner-city Atlanta elementary school, where she spent time molding their character and values so that one day they too would become a force to be reckoned with in the world. In keeping with this vision, Bernice recently spoke at the inauguration of the Coretta Scott King Young Women's Leadership Academy where she gave the charge to the 6th grade girls who would be attending the new all-girls school. Bernice reminded them that they were making history because they were among the first chosen to attend this school and as a result they would be expected to set the trend that others would follow. Among other community activities and services, she was instrumental in organizing coalitions to close a pornographic shop located within a mile of a local High School. She also assisted The Dow Company in building a Habitat for Humanity home in Americus, Georgia.

As an ordained preacher, Bernice is a minister at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, Georgia under the dynamic leadership of Bishop Eddie L. Long. In addition to being a speaker/orator/preacher, Bernice has planned and organized numerous conferences, seminars and workshops for all walks of life. Because of her passion for Leadership training, Youth development, and Family Empowerment, she has successfully coordinated women and family conferences as well as nonviolent conflict resolution conferences for college and university students. She has also conducted a class on race relations at Mississippi College in Jackson, MS and taught a year- long leadership development class at her previous church.

Recently Bernice founded Be A King, whose mission is to re-brand and re-image generations of people to elevate the way they Think, Act, Live, and Lead. Through Be A King she hopes to develop a nation of young people who dominate the global marketplace and transform the world culture with a KINGdom mindset. To begin this initiative she launched the 1st Be A King Summit for youth in Montgomery, Alabama which is the same place her father started the Civil Rights Movement.

Bernice has been featured on such shows as, Oprah, BET Talk with Tavis Smiley and the Judge Hachett Show to name a few and in such magazines as People Magazine, Ebony, Essence, Ladies Home Journal, Gospel Today and Charisma Magazine. In 2005, the American Legacy Magazine recognized Bernice as a "Woman of Strength and Courage". She has also guest hosted a live lunchtime television show on CNN.

As an author, Bernice has to her credit, her book, Hard Questions, Heart Answers, a compelling and inspiring book.

Currently Bernice is developing multi-media production projects for radio, TV, and the internet. She is also devoting time to health & wellness awareness campaigns for different organizations. In the spring of 2009, she will spearhead the Be A King Health walk through her Be A King LYFE Foundation. This initiative will be honor of her mother and sister, Yolanda D. King.
Creative, captivating, challenging, compelling and courageous are a few words that describe THIS King! Be A King is a woman gifted to change the lives of those who come into contact with her.