Boston unveils MLK Jr and Coretta Scott King statue, draws mixed reviews
BOSTON, Mass. (CBS, KYMA/KECY) - A sculpture commemorating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his wife Coretta Scott King unveiled in Boston, Massachusetts. In detail, the unveiling occurred on Friday, January 13, in an event hosted by the organization Embrace Boston.
For further context, Embrace Boston is an organization that seeks to dismantle systemic racism through intersectional disciplines. According to its mission statement, this includes art.
“Designed by Hank Willis Thomas, an internationally acclaimed African American conceptual artist and MASS Design Group, the memorial commemorates the legacies of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King, who met and went to school in Boston; and the civil rights leaders worked alongside them in Boston,” Embrace Boston said.
The design of the memorial, located in Boston Common, was also based on a photo of the couple hugging after Dr. King learned he had won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964.
Furthermore, several of the Kings' descendants were in attendance, reports said.
Upon its debut, the sculpture drew mixed reviews. While Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King's son appreciated the sculpture, Coretta Scott King's cousin said otherwise.
