Thandie Newton Calls Out Starbucks Over Safari Statue

January 6, 2016

thandie newton in harlemRefinery29 reports that Starbucks (that has a number of stores located in Harlem) has found itself embroiled in yet another brouhaha. This time, though, it’s got nothing to do with red cups or polar bears.
Crash star Thandie Newton took to social media to call out the coffee chain for including a racially insensitive statue in its store decor. The statue, which appears to be featured in one of the chain’s British shops, depicts a small Black boy wearing a pith helmet and loincloth while carrying a platter of coffee beans.

“Seriously @Starbucks?,” she tweeted. “At the counter: loin cloth and safari hat on a Black child. Happy New Year circa 19th century.”

Starbucks was quick to take action, and tweeted an apology to the actress.

“We are very concerned to learn of this incident and we can’t apologize enough,” a Starbucks customer service rep responded. “We have removed the figure and are investigating.”

Keep your eyes peeled next time you make a latte run, folks in Harlem.


By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: Harlem World Magazine, 2521 1/2 west 42nd street, Los Angeles, CA, 90008, https://www.harlemworldmagazine.com. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact
We're your source for local coverage, we count on your support. SPONSOR US!
Your support is crucial in maintaining a healthy democracy and quality journalism. With your contribution, we can continue to provide engaging news and free access to all.
accepted credit cards

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Related Articles