Photo: Getty Images
An Atlanta-area restaurant is under fire over a flyer promoting an upcoming event during Martin Luther King Jr. weekend that features explicit images of several civil rights icons.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Arthur Watkins Jr., who identified himself as a litigant with the American Freedmen Legal Fund and Freedmen Nation, called out Mela ATL Restaurant and Lounge, an Ethiopian restaurant in Decatur, for the "misuse of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Image" on the event flyer.
The flyer, advertising an "MLK Weekend Celebration" named "He Scared of the P**** Reloaded", shows an altered image of King standing behind Rosa Parks, who appeared to be on her knees in revealing lingerie. The advertised event is set to have "free parking, full bar, food, and hookah available" at Mela Restaurant and Lounge on Saturday (January 18).
Watkins shared an image of the explicit flyer and an email he sent to King's daughter, Bernice King, who he urged to take action against the misuse of her father's image.
“The use of his likeness in this context is deeply disrespectful and warrants attention,” Watkins wrote. “Dr. King’s legacy is one of dignity, justice, and equality, and we must all work to protect it.”
In a statement, Mela Restaurant and Lounge said it didn't approve the flyer and wasn't made aware of the situation until Wednesday (January 15).
“The team at Mela ATL does not condone or support the use of any flyer that misrepresents or disrespects the legacies of Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We believe in honoring these icons with the dignity and respect they deserve and stand against any form of inappropriate or harmful imagery,” the owners of the restaurant said in a statement.
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