They’re Not ‘Embracing’ New MLK Jr Sculpture

On today’s Social Heat we kick off with the story of the bronze sculpture commemorating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday in Boston. However, a lot of folks are NOT feeling it. And that’s putting it mildly. The $10 million sculpture, titled “The Embrace,” was unveiled at a public ceremony in the Boston Commons on Friday, Jan. 13. The crowd cheered and applauded — until the sculpture was fully unveiled. Then the applause faded, as many in the crowd wondered aloud “What is it?”

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.

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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.