Many people have visited the new Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial since it opened in August.
On October 16, 2011, the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial in Washington, D.C., was officially dedicated. Many people gathered on the National Mall for the dedication ceremony. President Barack Obama, Dr. King’s children, and civil rights leaders who once worked with Dr. King were among the guests.
The centerpiece of the memorial is a 30-foot high statue of Dr. King. It was carved by Chinese sculptor Lei Yixin. The memorial stands on a four-acre site on the National Mall between the memorials for Presidents Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln. Dr. King made his famous “I Have a Dream” speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Dr. King’s memorial is surrounded by cherry trees and a 450-foot crescent-shaped wall of granite. Quotations from his speeches are engraved on the wall.
During the memorial’s dedication, speakers talked about Dr. King’s leadership in the Civil Rights movement. They encouraged Americans to look to his work as inspiration for the challenges that face them today. President Obama said, “We’ve got to keep pushing for . . . the America we ought to leave to our children, mindful that the hardships we face are nothing compared to those Dr. King and his fellow marchers faced 50 years ago.”
Image credit: ©UPI/Kevin Dietsch/LANDOV
Related Links
- The Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial
Learn more about the memorial that honors Dr. Martin Luther, King Jr. - Diagram of the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial
Find out more about the different parts of the Martin Luther, King Jr. Memorial - Dr. Martin Luther, King Jr., Day
Read more about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the day that honors him.
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