Bernice King is making sure her mother’s legacy is respected.
On Tuesday, the youngest daughter of Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King took to X (formerly Twitter) to share a pointed message about her mom, following recent comments made by actor Jonathan Majors.
“My mother wasn’t a prop,” King wrote. “She was a peace advocate before she met my father and was instrumental in him speaking out against the Vietnam War. Please understand… my mama was a force.”
Related: Jonathan Majors Says He’s ‘Shocked and Afraid’ After Assault Conviction
While King did not refer to Majors directly, her comments came just days after ABC News aired an interview with the former Marvel star, during which he referred to his current girlfriend, Meagan Good, as his “Coretta.”
“She’s an angel. She’s held me down like a Coretta [Scott King]. I’m so blessed to have her,” he said. “The relationship is still fresh but you know, I think I found her.”
Over the last few months, Good has appeared by the actor’s side for several of his court appearances as he went to trial over a domestic dispute with his ex-girlfriend, Grace Jabbari.
In December, a jury found the Creed III actor guilty of misdemeanor assault and harassment. He now faces up to one year in prison.
In an audio recording from his trial, Majors also referenced Coretta Scott King, expressing a desire for Jabbari, who is white, to be more like King and first lady Michelle Obama.
“Coretta Scott King, do you know who that is?” Majors said in the recording. “That’s Martin Luther King’s wife. Michelle Obama, Barack Obama’s wife. I’m a great man. A great man. I am doing great things, not just for me but for my culture and for the world.”
During his interview with ABC News, Majors attempted to clarify his remarks: “I was attempting — and I did a terrible job at it, apparently — I was attempting to motivate, to enlighten, to give perspective as in to what it is I was hoping to get out of the relationship.”
Over on X, King made it a point to correct any misconceptions about her mother’s legacy. Her tweet included a portrait of Coretta Scott King and a link to a 2017 article on HuffPost titled “A Woman Purposed To Be A King.”
The article provides insight into Coretta’s early life, emphasizing her roots in Marion, Alabama, and the significant contributions she made independently of her role as Martin Luther King Jr.’s wife.
