Black Twitter was confused by the unveiling of a statue in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his wife, Coretta Scott King by the Boston Common.
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The statue, titled “The Embrace” was modeled after the moment the couple learned he won the Nobel Peace Prize. According to 7News, Imani Paris Jeffries of the King Boston Group called the statue a “beacon” for the city of Boston, Massachusetts.”We want Boston to be known as a city of inclusion, the city of embrace, the city of love. We want to be the most welcoming, belonging city in the country,” she said.
BREAKING: The bronze sculpture called “The Embrace” honoring Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King has just been unveiled on the Boston Common #7news #MLKWeekend #MLKDay2023 pic.twitter.com/IckphP15FL
— Amaka Ubaka (@AmakaUbakaTV) January 13, 2023
In addition to Dr. King’s speech at the Common in 1965, the statue was built to commemorate the Kings’ visit to Boston, where they first met and fell in love. The statue depicts the couple’s embrace after it was unveiled to the public, displaying only their arms and hands. However, Black Twitter was perplexed because the statue appeared different from certain angles.
Everyone is asking about the creator/artist. https://t.co/1pkC0OC3V6 pic.twitter.com/IPEPrJheaM
— Christina Hendriks (@renissance_1) January 14, 2023
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One user @coachwhitmore said, “This is dope but I’m a never satisfied negro so I gotta say this. All the white “greats” got their faces everywhere and this should’ve had their faces. People are going to walk by this and see it simply as artwork and not connect it to the power behind the 2 people it represents.” Another asked why the couple’s heads were not not included in the statue if it’s supposed to honor Dr. King and his wife.
I actually agree with you. I think a monument of the true image, would have been slightly more honorable. #MLK The full image below would make more sense. pic.twitter.com/HR3OVNNoOs
— Samantha Sheldon (@SamanthaJaneS) January 14, 2023
My goodness this did not translate
— FrancescaHogi.eth (@DearFranny) January 14, 2023
The way I have no idea what I’m looking at https://t.co/XPXRWCjOnC
— TheFineAuthor (@TheFineAuthor_) January 14, 2023
I’d rather everybody just go to work on Monday and drink from separate water fountains and swim in segregated pools than pretend that whatever the hell this is is honorable. Folks STAY doin MLK wrong wrong. #Dobetter #Geesh https://t.co/IOVB5OMUNR
— J Lee (@jleefilm) January 14, 2023
I said “I have a dreamm (muffled)” 😂🤣
— Ced™ (@cedfunches) January 14, 2023
This is a terrible sculpture
It looks like someone grabbing a thigh
A very different kind of “loving embrace”
— Jay D. Cartere (@JayCartere) January 14, 2023
After seeing it from multiple angles, I still don’t understand what I’m seeing. It just seems like he’s hugging something that’s not another person. This just has bad idea written all over it.
— Javier Guzman (@JavierGuzman90) January 14, 2023
A statement regarding the statue’s design after the public confusion has yet to be released by the Boston Common.