Washington, Jan 22 (ANI): Denzel Washington teaches his children to be righteous and unprejudiced by telling them to avoid becoming a "hater."

Speaking on the eve of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Washington said that the late civil rights leader inspired his parenting philosophy.

"I try to teach my children there are going to be obstacles. Someone may not like you just because they don't like themselves. But, don't you get bogged down," People quoted him, as saying.

"Don't be a hater. Don't let hatred destroy you. Overcome it, move on, educate them, if you will," he added.

The actor, who played civil-rights icon Malcolm X in the 1992 movie, revealed that King, Jr. and the 1960s civil rights movement formed a very significant part of his growing up years.

"My father was a minister in the Church of God and Christ," said Washington is stars in the current movie, The Great Debaters," he said.

"There was talk of this other guy, Malcolm X, that was not allowed to somehow be talked about. And of course, there was Martin Luther King," he added.

Washington has four children with wife Pauletta: John David, 23, Katia, 20, and Olivia and Malcolm, both 16. (ANI)