The city of Rocky Mount commissioned sculptor Erik Blome–who had cast sculptures of Rosa Parks and Thurgood Marshall (first black Supreme Court justice) to create a statue of Martin Luther King.
Reports the UK Independent, “White sculptor’s ‘un-African’ statue of Martin Luther King divides the South” (22 December 2003):
It was in the North Carolina city that the civil rights leader first tested what would become his most famous speech, declaring in November 1962: “My friends in Rocky Mount, I have a dream tonight.” But plans to honour Dr King’s memory by commissioning a bronze statue have triggered a huge disagreement in what is already a divided city, with members of the black population making accusations against white officials.
The critics say the pose of the statue appears “arrogant” and Dr King’s face does not look realistic. But what has really upset them is that the sculptor is white. The critics are demanding that the sculpture be recast – at least its head – with a different pose and a more “African” face. Kimberle Evans, one of the most outspoken critics of the $56,000 (£32,000) statue, said: “We need an artist who can relate.”
To your racism?
Recommended Reading:
The Destruction of Martin Luther King’s Dream of a Colorblind Society by Onkar Ghate
“It is no surprise that America is growing more racist, since the affirmative action and multiculturalist programs are themselves based on racist premises.”
What We Should Remember on Martin Luther King Day: Judge People by Their Character, Not Skin Color by Edwin A. Locke
What should we remember on Martin Luther King Day? In his “I Have a Dream” speech Dr. King said: “I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”