U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) faced public rebukes from the family of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. after comments made during a congressional hearing.
The clash highlights a growing tension over the political ownership of Dr. King's legacy and how his image is utilized in modern legislative debates.
During a House Judiciary Committee hearing on June 5, 2026 [1], Crockett questioned the activities of the Southern Poverty Law Center. During the proceedings, Crockett said, "White men are parading Dr. King" [1]. She used the remark to criticize what she described as white-led groups co-opting the civil rights leader's legacy [1].
Bernice King, the daughter of Dr. King, responded to the comments on June 6 [1]. She said, "My father's legacy is not a political football" [1].
Additional criticism came from Alveda King, the niece of Dr. King. In a response published June 9, 2026 [2], Alveda King said, "She called me a bastard to the King family legacy" [2].
Crockett's remarks occurred in Washington, D.C., as part of a broader inquiry into the SPLC's recent activities [1]. The responses from the King family were aimed at defending the legacy of the civil rights leader from what they viewed as political misuse [1, 2].
“"White men are parading Dr. King."”
This conflict illustrates the ongoing struggle between political actors and the descendants of civil rights icons over the interpretation of historical legacies. By framing the use of Dr. King's image as a partisan tool, the King family is attempting to decouple their relative's philosophical contributions from current legislative skirmishes in the U.S. House of Representatives.
