The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial honors Martin Luther King, Jr.’s struggle for opportunity and fairness for all people. Located next to the National Mall in Washington, D.C., it was designed to serve as a lasting tribute to Dr. King’s legacy that connects audiences with what it means to venerate concepts like freedom, equality, and justice.
The “I Have a Dream” Speech Comes to Life
One of the most prominent leaders of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the United States. His “I Have a Dream” speech that was delivered on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial has become an iconic piece of American oration. He was also the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for his work to end racial segregation and racial discrimination through nonviolent means. His assassination in 1968 would see the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, of which he was a member, initiate an effort to establish a permanent memorial to King’s life and legacy.
The fraternity’s efforts gained momentum in 1986, the first year King’s birthday was celebrated as the federal holiday of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. This endeavor fully took shape in 1996 when the United States Congress approved the establishment of a memorial on Department of Interior lands in the District of Columbia. It would be the first National Mall memorial to honor a citizen activist rather than a president or war hero.
The design for the monument was chosen from more than 900 design submissions from dozens of countries. Groundbreaking for the memorial was held in 2006, while the memorial was officially opened to the public in 2011. The memorial would end up being located at 1964 Independence Ave., referencing the 1964 Civil Rights act.
Located on a 4-acre site, the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial was envisioned as a quiet and peaceful space that is inherently connected to King’s philosophy of freedom and openness. This thematic connection as well as the physical layout of the monument have created notable experiences for audiences all across the memorial.
Justice, Democracy, Love and Hope
The heart of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial is a depiction of King that is connected to his “I Have A Dream” speech. One of the most famous lines of the speech is when he says, “out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope,” and these words have literally defined a 30-foot high relief of King named the “Stone of Hope.” It stands between two other pieces of granite that symbolize the “Mountain of Despair.”
Visitors enter through the “Mountain of Despair” and tour the memorial as if moving through the struggles that Dr. King faced during his life. Visitors end in the open freedom of the plaza, where they can experience the beauty of the cherry trees that adorn the site and the nearby memorials like the Thomas Jefferson Memorial from the serene Tidal Basin.
The memorial’s plaza features a 450-foot crescent-shaped wall which have quote inscriptions from King’s speeches, sermons and writings. These 14 quotes are focused on themes of justice, democracy, love, and hope.
The Park Store that is located near the memorial is one of many that sells books, gifts and many educational materials. The majority of them are connected to the life and legacy of Dr. Marin Luther King Jr., while many of them contain imagery associated with the monument itself. Proceeds from sales support National Mall and Memorial Parks and other national parks.
Featured in countless maps and guides to the city, the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial has quickly become one of the most important monuments in Washington D.C. and the entire nation. This impact is due to the powerful way in which King’s legacy has been celebrated in literal and metaphorical ways that audiences can connect with on multiple levels.
Beyond the Legacy of a Single Person
Open 24 hours a day, with no fee required to visit, the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial has connected with audiences in a major way. That impact is evidenced by the nearly 250,000 people that were predicted to attend the dedication as well as the 24 million visitors to the National Mall. This impact is on account of a legacy that isn’t just about a single person but is instead related to the ideals and principles that an entire nation can honor and celebrate across the eras.
