While we're celebrating Black History Month, the TODAY show on Monday aired a segment that revealed Queen Nefertiti… resembling a white woman.
Josh Gates, from the TV Show “Expedition Unknown,” appeared on the segment to reveal a reconstructed bust that he and his team made through high-tech imaging from exclusive access they had to the remains of Queen Nefertiti, King Tut's mother and a powerful Egyptian Pharoah, to make a forensic reconstruction.
Sadly, upon Gates' reveal, there were a few glaring issues: Queen Nefertiti was presented with porcelain skin and pink lips.
On the set of the @TODAYshow with @SavannahGuthrie and @hodakotb revealing the true face of King Tut’s mother and likely #Nefertiti herself! #ExpeditionUnknown @travelchannel pic.twitter.com/pvrJPMRQ5N— Josh Gates (@joshuagates) February 5, 2018
Comedian and writer Awesomely Luvvie referred to the sculpture as "White Lady Gaga," which sounds about accurate because when the TODAY show revealed the caucasian version of Queen Nefertiti our response was:
Meanwhile, users on Twitter had similar reactions:
Did the #TodayShow just make nefertiti a white woman pic.twitter.com/M4EXoknGTK— J (@Queen_Soul01) February 5, 2018
Can’t believe what I just witnessed on supposedly a credible news station w/ 2 assumingely smart,world traveled journalists! Ridiculous that @TODAYshow @hodakotb @SavannahGuthrie would allow @travelchannel #JoshGates to reveal this & say it’s bust of #Nefertiti so inaccurate! pic.twitter.com/lWOlXPQhDO— Nicole Kirby (@nkirby) February 5, 2018
@TODAYshow #Nefertiti YOUR ALTERNATIVE LIES DON’T WORK ON PEOPLE WHO KNOW THEIR HISTORY! Nefertiti was BLACK! pic.twitter.com/FzU1byKpVw— Tarance Jones (@TJisTrending) February 5, 2018
this is why it’s important that we KNOW OUR HISTORY FROM WHICH WE CAME. #Nefertiti & the rest of the great Pharaohs, Kings & Queens from Ancient #Kemet (Land of the Blacks) now known as Egypt & etc DID NOT LOOK LIKE SUSAN FROM HR. Shame on whoever did this. Yall wish. @TODAYshow pic.twitter.com/y0YQRWNjaJ— Rashida "SHEEDZ" O. (@RashidaSHEEDZ) February 5, 2018
The TODAY Show's misrepresentation and utter disregard for black historical truth exemplifies why we must be voracious in narrating our own stories.
