A Stone-Faced Lie on the Mall
This storied distortion of King's legacy must not become a permanent gigantic monument of misrepresentation in Washington D.C. The 28-foot proposed statue of King, carved out of a granite boulder called "The Stone of Hope," will be the largest statue on the Mall and bigger than the memorials to Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson.
Harry Johnson, president of King's National Memorial, who wants a new design submitted in June that includes a "softening of Dr. King," must reconsider his decision.
Johnson should not be listening to the advice of the federal arts panel and telling Lei Yixin to change King's facial expression—unless he decides that expression is going to look more determined, more resolute and more forceful.
We should not allow a smile to be put on King's largest face when he was never happy with America. King should not look more sympathetic when he never had, nor would he have now, any sympathy for the tyranny of America.
"I can remember, I can remember when Negroes were just going around…so often, scratching where they didn't itch, and laughing when they were not tickled," King said in his final speech. "But that day is all over. We mean business now, and we are determined to gain our rightful place in God's world."
Ibram Rogers is a doctoral student in African American Studies at Temple University.
Also on The Root:
Gary Dauphin on how an infectious new Obama video Jes Grew. Selling Out for a Losing Cause, by Jack White: Hillary Clinton's 'white Americans' strategy is too cynical and too late.
Discuss:
A Stone-Faced Lie on the Mall
Member Comments
-
Posted By:
-
Posted By:
-
Posted By:
View All Comments »DeucePrez at 07/16/2008 4:19:37 PM
Comment:
Ironically, I was on vacation last week and my wife and I decided to take the children around to the "tourist spots" in DC. Most people in the DC Metro area don't know much about the monuments....
One of the sites we visited (re-visited, for my wife and me) was Roosevelt Island (yeah, this story IS going somewhere). I noticed that the ~25+foot statue of Roosevelt (also elevated on a pedestal) did not have the "friendliest look" about him, but there's no commission seeking to have his statue "made-over"! He's grimacing and his right hand is raised above his head. If only there were a club or whip in it......
To Sylvia (posted 5/31/08): You don't know much about Martin L. King, Jr. and it is apparent by your post. He (King) spoke angrily against the ills commited by people and the U.S. government. You speak to his "I have a Dream Speech"....particularly the last part of that speech. Read the transcript of the beginning of that speech where he speaks against the Vietnam War. That's the King that most of us knows....!
DeucePrez at 07/16/2008 4:14:51 PM
Comment:
Ironically, I was on vacation last week and my wife and I decided to take the children around to the "tourist spots" in DC. Most people in the DC Metro area don't know much about the monuments....
One of the sites we visited (re-visited, for my wife and me) was Roosevelt Island (yeah, this story IS going somewhere). I noticed that the ~25+foot statue of Roosevelt (also elevated on a pedestal) did not have the "friendliest look" about him, but there's no commission seeking to have his statue "made-over"! He's grimacing and his right hand is raised above his head. If only there were a club or whip in it......
sylvia_MI at 05/31/2008 12:38:47 AM
Comment:
I am learning a lot from these comments about how people remember Dr. King. Maybe because I am "white", I saw his love, heard his compassion, and felt the power of his message embracing me. I don't remember him being scornful, or threatening. The more angry black leaders...the panthers...Malcolm X, were not spreading the message of coming together...combining the efforts of all the different people to be united in a quest for equality, and justice for all. It took years before I as a white person, could even understand their message. Dr. King spoke to ME...a white person. So that I had to think about what I could do, how I could support the cause. And I think that is why, and how, he advanced the civil rights for all Americans. He spoke to everyone, no matter what color, no matter rich or poor, young and old alike. He expected everyone to do their part.