By Britni Danielle
Clutch Magazine
The Detroit chapter of the NAACP’s plans to honor hometown rocker Kid Rock with the coveted Great Expectations Award have been met with protests.
Kid Rock loves his city and has done a lot for the Detroit, donating much-needed money to charities throughout the cash strapped city. Most recently Rock donated $25,000 to four of the city charities in honor of his 40th birthday, and has often said that he was “born in Michigan and will die in Michigan.” So, why would some in Detroit have a problem with Rock getting the award? Well, apparently Kid Rock loves to perform in front of a huge confederate flag, which is an extremely offensive symbol to many African-Americans.
“It’s a slap in the face for anyone who fought for civil rights in this country,” said Adolph Mongo, a political activist and the head Detroiters for Progress. “It’s a symbol of hatred and bigotry.”
For his part, Kid Rock has said that he sometimes uses the confederate flag to pay homage to the southern rockers he loves, not to make any statements about race. And according to the Detroit chapter of the NAACP, Kid Rock’s good works out weight his use of controversial imagery.
“Kid Rock … has consistently lifted up the Great Expectations of many persons … concerning the future of the city,” Donnell R. White, interim executive director of the Detroit Branch NAACP, said in a statement.
The Great Expectations gala goes down on May 1st and typically draws nearly 10,000 people. But with the chapter sticking by Kid Rock, it remains to be seen just how many people sit out this year’s celebration.
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