During a June 9 House Judiciary Committee hearing titled "The Southern Poverty Law Center: Manufacturing Hate, Part II," Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) criticized Republicans for featuring Dr. Alveda King, the niece of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., as a witness. Crockett argued that Republicans were relying on the King family name while ignoring the views of Dr. King's children, Martin Luther King III and Dr. Bernice King, whom she suggested more directly represent his legacy.
Alveda King responded by defending her family connection to the civil rights leader and her own record of public advocacy. King has spent decades speaking to conservative, religious, and predominantly white audiences about racial reconciliation, pro-life issues, and what she describes as Dr. King's vision of a colorblind society. She frequently cites the principle that humanity is "one blood" or "one race, the human race," a message she has promoted throughout her public career.
The hearing itself focused primarily on allegations that the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) improperly funded informants connected to extremist organizations, including the Ku Klux Klan. Republicans questioned SPLC Interim CEO Bryan Fair about Justice Department allegations that donor funds were funneled to KKK members and other extremists as part of an intelligence-gathering program. Fair denied that the SPLC funds hate groups and said the allegations would be addressed in court.
Alveda King was a teen during most of Dr. King's public ministry. Born in 1951, she was 17 when he was assassinated in 1968. His children were