mlk twerking flyers

With the three day weekend coming up in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King’s Jr.’s legacy, promoters are using a less flattering image of the civil rights leader to push their parties. In one of the images, King is picture on the body of a man with a gold chain draped around his neck, accompanied by an unknown hand gesture. The caption for the flyer reads, “Freedom to Twerk.”

My FOX Atlanta showed one of the images of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on a flyer for a twerk party to his youngest daughter Dr. Bernice King. 

From My FOX Atlanta:

Images being circulated online depict her father, civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, in promotions allegedly for ‘twerk’ parties for a teen club in Michigan. FOX 5 was unable to find the image directly on the group’s Facebook page, but outraged people had already started to comment to the group. One of the widely circulated flyers depicts an enhanced Rev. King wearing a large gold chain, making hand gestures under the headline ‘Freedom 2 Twerk’.

King told FOX 5 she was not upset about people celebrating her father’s life, but she had serious concerns about the use of her father’s imagery to suggest he would endorse such a style of celebration. “My father would have worked to elevate them, to connect with them, and bring them into the movement,” King said.

Read more My FOX Atlanta

The local news affiliate spoke with a man who has direct knowledge of the group’s activities. He said that no disrespect was intended with the flyer or event.

The unidentified man stated that the event is spearheaded by teens who seek to have positive influences on the community.

What do you think of these flyers?

Sound off below!