Conley
08-22-2011, 09:32 PM
In 2001, the foundation's efforts to build the memorial were stalled because Intellectual Properties Management Inc., an organization operated by King's family, wanted the foundation to pay licensing fees to use his name and likeness in marketing campaigns. The memorial's foundation, beset by delays and a languid pace of donations, stated that "the last thing it needs is to pay an onerous fee to the King family." Joseph Lowery, past president of the King-founded Southern Christian Leadership Conference stated in the The Washington Post, "If nobody's going to make money off of it, why should anyone get a fee?"[35]
Cambridge University historian David Garrow, who won a Pulitzer Prize for his biography of King, said of King's family's behavior, "One would think any family would be so thrilled to have their forefather celebrated and memorialized in D.C. that it would never dawn on them to ask for a penny." He added that King would have been "absolutely scandalized by the profiteering behavior of his children."[36] The family pledged that any money derived would go back to the King Center's charitable efforts.[20][37][38] The foundation has paid the fee since 2003. By 2009, King's family had charged the Foundation $800,000 for the use of his words and image in fund-raising materials for the memorial.[20]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King,_Jr._National_Memorial#Fees_to_ King_family
Wow, what a fine example of humanity. I've read that his family are not the most upstanding of citizens, but trying to turn a profit on something like this is shameful.
Cambridge University historian David Garrow, who won a Pulitzer Prize for his biography of King, said of King's family's behavior, "One would think any family would be so thrilled to have their forefather celebrated and memorialized in D.C. that it would never dawn on them to ask for a penny." He added that King would have been "absolutely scandalized by the profiteering behavior of his children."[36] The family pledged that any money derived would go back to the King Center's charitable efforts.[20][37][38] The foundation has paid the fee since 2003. By 2009, King's family had charged the Foundation $800,000 for the use of his words and image in fund-raising materials for the memorial.[20]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King,_Jr._National_Memorial#Fees_to_ King_family
Wow, what a fine example of humanity. I've read that his family are not the most upstanding of citizens, but trying to turn a profit on something like this is shameful.