A project designed to unify the twin cities has hit a temporary snag.
After a long and emotional discussion, the Benton Harbor city commissioners on Monday declined to move forward with the approval of a Martin Luther King Jr. monument design by the Unified Civic Monuments Project.
Commissioners tabled a resolution to approve the design after concerns ranging from the size and location of the monument to additional elements that were added without approval – including an MLK quote which several commissioners thought was inappropriate.
“We agreed on a statue – we didn’t agree on a monument,” said Mayor Pro Tem Duane Seats, in response to concerns raised by members of the board. “Why don’t we just, for now, concentrate on what we voted on, and that’s a statue.”
Commissioner Ethel Clark-Griffin said concerns about the monument’s size were previously raised publicly, adding the project designers had not properly addressed their concerns with this update. She also questioned the location for the monument – City Center Park – where the city hosts many events.
“When you have parades like Juneteenth and Blossomtime – it’s the only park that we have in Benton Harbor where we got two parades,” Clark-Griffin said. “When you sitting in that park you can not see the parades with all this up.”
A good portion of the commissioner debate was dedicated to the specific MLK quote chosen by the artists, from his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. Several commissioners thought it was inappropriate, and suggested quotes from other speeches.
“His last speech was at Mason Temple Church of God in Christ in Memphis, Tennessee,” Seats said. “One of the most phenomenal speeches that he did have before he died. If we still got to dream … then we in bad shape anyway.”
Ultimately, Mayor Marcus Muhammad said the commission meeting was not the right time to be discussing specifics, and suggested to table the resolution.
Tami Fauver, Director and Curator at Krasl Art Center and member of the United Civic Monuments
Project, pleaded with the board for something to move forward with.
“There’s a real pragmatic situation that we’re in with our donors, and with the amount of time that it takes to create a bronze sculpture,” Fauver said. “I wonder if we can take a vote on some portion of this design tonight, that we could move forward in our work. And if we can’t do that tonight, some really clear parameters for how to work moving forward, so we don’t lose this opportunity – because we really could.
Mayor Muhammad offered some perspective on the matter, as well as the final words on the topic for the evening.
“I don’t want our discussion tonight to diminish the greatness of what you have done and what this project will bring, but it’s sensitive,” he said. “What I can assure you is that the project will move forward, but at the right time and in the right way.”
The Unified Civic Monuments Project also involves placing a monument to MLK across the river in St. Joseph, in an effort to unify the two cities in the spirit of social justice. The project is being led by the founders of the African American History & Literature Gallery, with support from Krasl Art Center, Lake Michigan College, the BH/SJ Arts & Culture Social Justice Group, and the cities of Benton Harbor and St. Joseph.
