Outrage Continues Over Newsweek’s MLK Twitter Post
Newsweek sparked outrage Monday for tweeting an image of Martin Luther King Jr. in his casket.
Charles Harrity / Associated Press
Newsweek, the weekly news magazine based in New York, has been taking heat on Twitter after posting then removing a photo of Martin Luther King Jr. in an open casket.
The image, posted on New Year’s Day, accompanied an opinion piece highlighting important historical anniversaries in 2018.
King’s Atlanta-born daughter, Bernice King, responded to the image in a tweet.
“Why, @Newsweek? Wow,” she said in a retweet of the original post.
Newsweek has removed the photo and apologized.
“Earlier this afternoon we published an opinion piece with an insensitive image of Martin Luther King Jr. We sincerely apologize to the King family for this egregious error,” Newsweek tweeted in response to Bernice’s tweet.
In a video posted on social media, Bernice accepted Newsweek’s apology and cautioned other media outlets who may be covering the 50th anniversary of her father’s assassination, which took place in 1968.
What A Way To Start The New Year. #Newsweek, #MLK50Forward, #BelovedCommunity https://t.co/IP0xfjfUh3
— Be A King (@BerniceKing) January 1, 2018
“I want to thank Newsweek for immediately responding and removing the image and for giving an apology. Apology accepted,” Bernice said in the video.
“I want to challenge all of the news media and news outlets individually, that we just keep in mind that there’s a family — a family that had a great loss,” she continued.
Others on Twitter were still outraged about the incident.
It’s ok, everybody. They apologized. Nothing to see here. Man, that was easy! All that outrage and disgust you generated @Newsweek gone with a simple oopsy. You are truly the Tyrannosaurus rex of dinosaur journalism. https://t.co/Nd0v6V8mm7
— keithwhitney (@keithwhitney) January 2, 2018
Why did @Newsweek use an image of MLK in his casket to anchor their random compilation piece?
— deray (@deray) January 1, 2018
Many of the tweets are part of the thread of responses to Bernice’s retweet of Newsweek’s now-deleted post.
Newsweek – your actions were reprehensible. And your apology is not enough. You need to account for how this was allowed to happen and the corrective measures being taken. This was an utter disgrace to an American hero/icon and all who love him.
— Laura Young (@LauraDYoung728) January 2, 2018
I hope the King family pursue every angle necessary to make this company pay for this weak attempt get clicks. Multiple people viewed this article before it's release and publication so an apology doesn't cut it! This was a deliberate albeit weak attempt at shock & awe!!
— marvC88 (@marvc88) January 1, 2018
On Jan. 1, many users used the thread to send Bernice their condolences.
I’m so sorry you have to see that
— drew olanoff (@yoda) January 1, 2018
I’m so sorry you have to see this @Berniceking. Appalling.
— LisaStone (@LisaStone) January 1, 2018
After posting the video, she thanked Twitter users for their kind words.
Thank you for the kind words that you shared with me today. Let’s turn the world right-side-up in 2018.
— Be A King (@BerniceKing) January 2, 2018
Bernice is also the CEO of the King Center in Atlanta, which was founded by King’s wife after his assassination in 1968.
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