Backlash Over "Caricature" Statue of Civil Rights Icon Martin Luther King Jr.

In a surprising turn of events last week, the town of Winter Park, Florida unveiled a new statue of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. However, the unveiling has been met with significant backlash from local residents.

Many have described the statue as "awkward" and not up to the standards they had hoped to see for such an important historical figure. Essence Magazine co-founder Jonathan Blount, who attended the unveiling, said "His head was too big, his arm was too big. It looked like a caricature."

The statue was created by artist Andrew Luy of Huntsville, Alabama, who was selected by a committee from the town's arts, parks, and CRA boards. Luy claims the feedback he received from the committee and attendees at the unveiling was "greatly positive," and that the King family was "very happy" with the representation prior to the installation.

However, Winter Park Mayor Sheila DeCiccio acknowledged the negative feedback, saying "Maybe it just didn't come out the way everybody had hoped it would." Some, like Blount, have emphasized the need to redo the statue entirely in order to properly honor Dr. King's legacy.

This is not the only controversial depiction of King to surface this year. In January, rapper Sexyy Red faced backlash for sharing an AI-generated photo of herself and Dr. King, which King's daughter Bernice called "intentionally distasteful" and "disrespectful."

As the debate continues in Winter Park, the community must grapple with how best to memorialize this iconic civil rights leader in a way that truly does him justice.