Lawsuit Filed in Florida Over a Mural Showing City’s First Black Female Firefighter Depicted With a White Face

The Boynton Beach City Commission will meet this week to discuss a lawsuit filed on behalf of the city’s first Black female firefighter over a mural where she was inaccurately depicted with a White face.

“The City Commission will meet in a closed-door session to discuss the litigation. It is not a public meeting,” City Manager Lori LaVerriere confirmed to CNN in an email Sunday.

Latosha Clemons filed the lawsuit in April against the City of Boynton Beach. According to the complaint, a mural intended to honor her and others for their service to the city “reflected her as a White member of the city fire department.”

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The complaint alleges once the City Art Commission approved of the mural in November 2019, Clemons approved the use of a proposed picture.

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“Being depicted as White was not only a false presentation of Clemons, it was also a depiction which completely disrespected all that [she] the first female Black firefighter for the city had accomplished,” the complaint said.

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The lawsuit alleges “the actions of the city were done intentionally and knowingly to defame and injure Clemons” and they have caused emotional and mental harm as well as financial loss.

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