LeBron James Shares Message: Don’t Let Trump-Era Racism ‘Conquer’ Or ‘Divide’ Us [VIDEO]

LeBron James had a powerful message to share with fans on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

LeBron James MLK Day comments news

On Monday, James lambasted President Donald Trump while also voicing his fear of the current leadership style in America.

“The state of racism will never die, but what we cannot do is allow it to conquer us as people,” the Cleveland Cavaliers forward said following a shoot-around at Cleveland Clinic Courts before his team hosted the Golden State Warriors. “We can’t allow it to divide us. The guy in control has given people and racism … an opportunity to be out and outspoken without fear. And that’s the fearful thing for us because it’s with you, and it’s around every day, but he’s allowed people to come out and just feel confident about doing negative things.”

“We can’t allow that to stop us from continuing to be together and preach the right word of livin’ and lovin’ and laughin’ and things of that nature. Because would we want to live anywhere else? I don’t think so. We love this place.”

Baptist minister King — who also founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference — was assassinated at age 39 on April 4, 1968.

When asked what the civil rights figure would think of his activism, King James said: “Well, I hope I could make him proud or made him proud. Just taking what he was able to give to us and give us that type of empowerment, give us that type of strength to be able to go out and talk about things that really matter. Be able to live for something that’s more than you as an individual. Hopefully I’m making him proud still with him looking down on us.”

James explained he has been to the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, where King was killed by James Earl Ray.

James said the message he and his friends — including Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade and Chris Paul — relayed at the ESPYs in 2016 hasn’t changed. In fact, James wears shoes for Black History Month (February) that bear the date 7-13-2016, the date him and his three fellow NBA stars took the stage for the sports awards ceremony to encourage other athletes to promote more social activism.

“The best thing that we wanted to do when we went up there was continue the conversation,” James said. “Two years later the conversation is still going … Obviously, like I said before, we are in a difficult state right now as Americans as well with the leader of our country. But us, like I said, no matter the religion, no matter the shapes and sizes, we all have to continue to come together and shine a brighter light on, you know, I mean, [I don’t want to] use the word stupidity, but that’s basically what it comes down to.

“And because we’ve built such an incredible country and for us to be able to live free lives and be able to work and work together, no matter the color of skin tone or things of that nature, or religion, we have to continue that. That date two years ago, I put it on my shoes because it always reminds me of our conversation. The conversation of how to continue to keep people involved, people starting from their communities all the way to other communities that they can. And giving the youth an opportunity to be as creative and as aware as they can be.”

CLEVELAND, OH – NOVEMBER 28: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers argues after being ejected in the second half by referee Kane Fitzgerald #5 while playing the Miami Heat at Quicken Loans Arena on November 28, 2017 in Cleveland, Ohio. Cleveland won the game 108-97. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)