Controversy Grows over Selection of Chinese Artist to Sculpt Tribute.
Last February the mostly African American members of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Project shocked much of the nation by selecting Chinese artist Lei Yixin to sculpt the tribute to the civil rights legend soon to be erected on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. And since the selection criticism and protests have been growing.
Black artists and civil rights groups are asserting that an African American artist should have been given the honor of sculpturing the likeness of Dr. King.
Even granite workers are upset that Chinese granite rather than American granite is being used for the project. Meanwhile, members of the Memorial Project have been busy denying accusations that a Chinese sculptor was selected in order to lure money from the booming Chinese economy for the multi-million dollar project.
The controversy became even more heated last week when the California branch of the NAACP joined the protest. In its statement, the NAACP condemned the selection of a man from a country with what it labeled "the worst record of human rights violations" in the world. Memorial Project head Harry Johnson has justified the selection saying "Dr. King was an international hero."
Meanwhile artist Gilbert Young of Atlanta has organized a petition campaign urging project organizers to select a Black sculptor. Interested persons can learn more about that campaign by logging onto www.kingisours.com. Actual construction of the memorial is scheduled to begin in April of next year.
