‘An atrocity’: Coretta Scott King’s cousin criticizes ‘The Embrace’ monument in Boston

By Sharman Sacchetti

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    BOSTON (WCVB) — There is controversy surrounding “The Embrace,” Boston’s recently-unveiled monument to slain civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his wife, Coretta Scott King.

Hank Willis Thomas, the conceptual artist behind the installation, said he was inspired by a picture of the couple hugging after Dr. King won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964.

The 20-foot tall and 40-foot wide bronze sculpture, which was unveiled Friday on Boston Common, is the largest monument in the U.S. dedicated to racial equity.

There is some backlash regarding the design, as some people say they see something other than the Kings hugging when they look at the sculpture from certain angles.

“The innuendos, you can see it,” said Maine resident Robert Concannon, who traveled from Maine to Boston to view the monument. “If you go onto the other side, the arms sort of make a symbol of the heart.”

One of the biggest critics of the sculpture is Seneca Scott, a cousin of Coretta Scott King. He called the monument a waste of $10 million.

“Art is powerful and the pen is mightier than the sword. I get all of that. But that does not bring people together,” Scott said. “It was an atrocity.”

‘Embrace’ sculpture unveiled on Boston Common ahead of MLK Day While some believe “The Embrace” is disrespectful, there are plenty of people who say they like the sculpture’s design.

“I think is awesome, visionary, how the artist encapsulated the essence of two people who met and fell in love, and did so much great things for equality and economic justice,” said Esther Rogers.

Thomas is defending his work and said he cannot control what people see when they look at “The Embrace.”

“This is a piece that was selected by the people of Boston. This is not: ‘Hank just came and put something.’ Thousands of people worked on this. Thousands of people actually put it together, and no one saw this — I would say — perverse perspective,” Thomas said. “Good art asks questions and what you see says a lot, and so I’m asking you: ‘What do you see?’ I see the power of love to transform society. Other people see other things.”

Martin Luther King III said he believes art is subjective and everyone has opinions, and the son of Dr. King and Coretta Scott King said he is moved by the sculpture.

“It’s called ‘Embrace’ and I think the artist did a great job. I’m satisfied,” King III said. “Yeah, it didn’t have my mom and dad’s images, but it represents something that brings people together.”

Imari Paris Jeffries, executive director of EmbraceBoston, the organization behind the memorial, said he hopes the sculpture will encourage people to think about Dr. King and his work.

“The fact that people are thinking about it and that we’re not going to be just thinking about King’s message just on MLK Day, but throughout the year any time people see the art,” Jeffries said.

Dr. King met Coretta Scott while he was getting his doctorate at Boston University and she was at the New England Conservatory. One of the Kings’ first dates was on the Common, and the Parkman Bandstand was the final location of the 1965 Freedom Rally.

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