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Author Topic: King family draws fees from DC memorial project  (Read 522 times)

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Offline thundley4

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King family draws fees from DC memorial project
« on: April 18, 2009, 04:06:55 PM »
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WASHINGTON (AP) -- The family of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. has charged the foundation building a monument to the civil rights leader on the National Mall about $800,000 for the use of his words and image - an arrangement one leading scholar says King would have found offensive.

The memorial - including a 28-foot sculpture depicting King emerging from a chunk of granite - is being paid for almost entirely with private money in a fundraising campaign led by the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation. The monument will be turned over to the National Park Service once it is complete.
*snip*
In a statement to the AP, Intellectual Properties Management said the proceeds it receives go to the King Center in Atlanta, where King and his wife, Coretta Scott King, are entombed. The statement said the arrangement was made out of concern that fundraising for the monument would undercut donations to the King Center.

"Many individuals believe all `King' fundraising initiatives are interrelated and don't donate to the King Center, thinking they have already supported it by donating to the memorial," the statement said.

King's son Dexter serves as the center's chairman, and his cousin Isaac Farris Jr. is president and chief operating officer. King's two other surviving children, Martin Luther King III and Bernice King, are lifetime members of the board of directors.
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Seeing as how these family members probably draw comfortable salaries from the foundation. I suggest that the King Memorial be changed to simple plaque.  "We had planned a statue and plaque honoring Dr. King, but his greedy family got in the way. "

That being said, I have no problem when his family charges for commercial use of Kings likeness and his words.
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Offline JohnnyReb

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Re: King family draws fees from DC memorial project
« Reply #1 on: April 18, 2009, 05:28:17 PM »
Does this mean Kings dream has come true? ....well it is a dream come true for his family.
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Offline Lord Undies

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Re: King family draws fees from DC memorial project
« Reply #2 on: April 18, 2009, 07:15:21 PM »
As long as it isn't public money, more power to them.  I hope one of the Kings has the curiosity to find out who the donors are and what compells them to donate.  I think they will be surprised.
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Offline Gratiot

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Re: King family draws fees from DC memorial project
« Reply #3 on: April 19, 2009, 12:17:18 AM »
Sigh  :(
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