Rocky Mount, N.C.
Officials in Rocky Mount, N.C., last week voted to sell the city’s statue of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. because it looked nothing like him. “Maybe in his younger days,” said one local woman, Wanda Durant. “Maybe his son. Not him.” African-American leaders have been lobbying for a new monument ever since the artist, Erik Blome, delivered his work two years ago. The drive picked up steam just over a year ago, when Rocky Mount elected the first City Council in its history with a black majority. Council members decided to sell Blome’s statue, which cost them $56,000, and use the money toward a $140,000 replacement.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
-
The Finest Summer Flavours -
Today's political cartoons - May 20, 2024Cartoons Monday's cartoons - flags flipped, Diddy dunked, and more
-
Diddy admits to beating girlfriend after videoSpeed Read Though he previously denied allegations of abuse, Combs apologized for abusing Cassie Ventura following the release of new CCTV footage
