The families of Jackie Robinson and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. slammed President Trump after his reelection campaign unveiled a new ad showing images of the civil rights icons. The 90-second ad released this week starts by showing pictures of Robinson, King, and inspiring moments in U.S. history while touting American exceptionalism.
However, the video later switches to a darker tone, showing images of vandalism, looting, and burning American flags. Over the visuals, the ad’s narrator says, “They want to destroy our traditions, terrorize our communities, but we’ll never surrender America.”
Robinson’s daughter, Sharon, wrote on Twitter on Thursday, October 8, 2020, that her family “strongly objects” to use the image of the Brooklyn Dodgers legend, who broke baseball’s color barrier.
“The Trump campaign is in opposition to all that Jackie Robinson stood for and believed in. We’re insulted and demand that his image be removed!” she wrote.
MLK’s daughter, Bernice King, took issue with the Trump campaign using a photo of the leader of the civil rights movement.
“I find President Trump’s use of my father’s image in his political ad beyond insulting and not reflective of #MLK’s commitment to creating the #BelovedCommunity. My father should not be used in ways strongly misaligned with his vision and values,@realDonaldTrump,” she wrote Wednesday, October 7, 2020.
King, who is the CEO of Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, said her father was “working for an America with leaders who have answered the call to conscience and compassionate action.” King quoted her father, who said, “We need leaders not in love with money but in love with justice. Not in love with publicity but in love with humanity.”
“America needs this type of leader NOW,” she added.
The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
