MLK's daughter urges Americans to "stay woke" ahead of Trump's return

• Bernice A. King, MLK's daughter, told an audience at Atlanta's Ebenezer Baptist Church that advocates "will remain woke" against rollbacks of civil rights gains as the new administration's agenda takes hold.

The big picture: The federal holiday commemorating King's birthday and the presidential inauguration fall on the same day — a paradox that civil rights leaders say underscores the nation's deep divide.

What they're saying: "It has become a major factor for so many people because of the notable contrast in the two men who are sharing the same space in today's news cycle and on today's Gregorian calendar," King said.

• "For some, today's inauguration represents the best of times: Make America Great Again. And for others, it highlights the worst of times."
• "But regardless of how this day shows up for you, we must remember the mission and be in pursuit of it."

Zoom in: King acknowledged the anxiety among many people of color about Trump's return to the White House following a campaign filled with racist rhetoric, anti-trans policies, and mass deportation promises.

• Yet she told activists to keep fighting like her parents and previous generations of civil rights leaders.
• "Our hearts may become heavy-laden by disturbing policy decisions ... I urge us to heed my father's timeless call to remain awake through a great revolution."

The intrigue: As MLK Day unfolded in Atlanta, a coalition of civil rights and immigrant rights groups released a signed, open letter to the public warning of a "dangerous path for the future."

• "Some of the policies championed by President Trump and his surrogates during the campaign could also give new purchase to white supremacy in the United States, a fact that is especially disturbing given the coincidence of this inauguration and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day," the letter said.
• The National Immigration Law Center, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights and the Southern Poverty Law Center were among the eight groups that signed the letter.

Flashback: Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968 in Memphis while supporting striking sanitation workers.

• Though he participated in several marches, boycotts and legal challenges to racial segregation, he's primarily known by the general public for his 1963 "I Have a Dream" speech envisioning a colorblind country.

• That speech also mentioned how police brutality and systemic poverty were hurting Black Americans — themes often overlooked.

Yes, but: Four years after his speech, King told NBC News: "I must confess, that dream that I had that day has, at many points, turned into a nightmare."

• He cited persistent discrimination, poverty and the Vietnam War as reasons for his dismay.

During his keynote address, Bishop William J. Barber II, president and senior lecturer of Repairers of the Breach, reminded the audience of King's struggles on the eve of his assassination.

• "He was hurting despite having declared a war on poverty. He saw America's great wealth going to wage war against brown people in Vietnam ... and the nation's cities were burning."

Friction point: Drawing from King's final book, "Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?," Barber posed its central question as one to answer today.

• "We must choose community," he declared, urging unity and alliances across racial and economic lines. "We are not of those who shrink back unto destruction, but those who persevere unto the salvation of the soul."

What's next: Barber closed with a call to action, saying, "This is no time to be at ease. We must go forward together — Black, white, brown, Asian, Native, young, old, north, south, east, and west. Justice is not a juxtaposition to us; it is our religion."