Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial to be dedicated this month

Maquette of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial’s Stone of Hope.

by Kirk Maltais

The month of August marks the 48th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s historic “I Have A Dream” speech, given on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C at the height of the civil rights movement. The speech, given in front of over 200,000 supporters, is generally regarded as one of the greatest speeches in American history, and is being immortalized forever on the National Mall.

The MLK Memorial, which will be dedicated 11 a.m. Sunday, August 28, is a gorgeous testament to the lasting impact of Dr. King’s activism. The memorial, located next to the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial as well as the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials, is a multi-faceted experience commemorating the struggle for civil rights for all Americans. According to Harry Johnson, President and CEO of the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation, designing the memorial to fit in the same space as these other historic monuments was an intricate and careful process.

Harry E. Johnson, Sr. is the president and CEO of the Washington, DC Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation, Inc. / Photo by Toby Marquez

“Any one thing could be the triggering point to say ‘no’,” says Johnson, referring to the three different government commissions that had to approve the design of the memorial. “At all points and times you have to pass the idea that you know what you’re doing, or that you’re at least complimenting the other memorials in the area.”

Despite the struggle to get a design through Washington bureaucracy, the final results are more than a just reward. The entry to the memorial boasts a grand monolithic gateway, a massive stone with a walkway cut into the center, with the quote from Dr. King “Out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope” inscribed. Upon entry into the memorial, visitors will encounter the Inscription Wall, which contains 14 different quotes from Dr. King over the course of his life. Finally, a beautiful terrace containing a commemorative statue of Dr. King can be seen, surrounded by exquisite Yoshino cherry blossom trees. This memorial promises to be the definitive representation of Dr. King’s place in American history.

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Before the commemoration, there will be a Dedication Week building up to main event. Starting August 24, the Foundation will be celebrating the legacy of Dr. King, with a series of luncheons and galas planned, as well as concerts and other performances. While not all of the events are open to the public, the entire week will have something to offer everyone.

According to Johnson, many prominent guests are expected to attend these events, including President Obama and other government figures from the United States as well as abroad. Civil rights icons will be there, and performers during the week include Jamie Foxx, Stevie Wonder, and Aretha Franklin, as well as others. The star power is not lost on Johnson, who estimates that 250,000 people will attend the dedication ceremony for the memorial.

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The history surrounding the birth of this memorial is interesting in its own right. This memorial has been in the works for nearly 15 years, starting November of 1996, when President Clinton signed legislation proposing a Washington memorial to the legacy of Dr. King. The National Mall site for the project was approved in 1999, and design plans began to be considered the following year. Serious fundraising, starting with netting General Motors as the first major corporate sponsor, began in the early part of the 2000’s . To date, the project has raised $114 million, just shy of their $120 million target.

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In 2002, acclaimed movie star Morgan Freeman donated his time to record a set of public service announcements, raising public awareness for the memorial. Freeman also lent his time to promote the memorial with a series of interviews and public appearances. Other notable celebrities lent their personalities to PSA’s for the memorial, including Halle Berry and Al Roker. With this increase in public awareness for the project, as well as an increase in donations, the memorial secured its place in reality, now ready to come to a grand fruition.

The legacy of Martin Luther King is one that Harry Johnson has taken to heart, and it shows with the passion he has put in to make this dream a reality.

“You never know where God is going to place you,” says Johnson, “you don’t know where He’s going to send you, you never know what He’s going to expect from you. So how proud I am that he placed me at this project, to allow me to have a small piece of making eternal history for our country, for our future, and indeed for the world.”

To donate or learn more about the events taking place, visit DedicateTheDream.org.

Washington, DC Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation, Inc.

Dedication Week Events:

Honoring Past, Present, and Future Pioneers:
A civil rights pioneers luncheon
Walter E. Washington Convention Center
Thursday, August 25, 12 pm-2 pm
Business attire, $85 per seat

Partners in the Dream
A public expo for supporters of the MLK Memorial
Walter E. Washington Convention Center
Thursday, August 25, 3 pm-8 pm
Friday, August 26, 9 am-7 pm
Saturday, August 27, 9 am-5 pm
Sunday, August 28 2:30 pm-6 pm
Casual attire, free and open to the public

The Message in the Music
A concert to that features contemporary entertainers performing sounds and music from the civil rights era
Walter E. Washington Convention Center
Thursday, August 25, 8 pm-10 pm
Cocktail attire, $100, $65 per ticket

Women Who Dare to Dream
Women’s luncheon
Walter E. Washington Convention Center
Friday, August 26, 12 pm-2 pm
Business attire, $85 per seat

The Celebration
Premier VIP Dream Gala, celebration of the “completion of the Dream.”
Walter E. Washington Convention Center
Saturday, August 27, Reception: 6 pm-7 pm, Dinner: 7 pm-10 pm
Black tie, $250, $125 tickets

Pre-Dedication Musical Tribute
Pre-dedication concert paying tribute to the life and times of MLK
West Potomac Park
Sunday, August 28, 10 am-11 am
Comfortable clothing, free and open to the public

Official Dedication Ceremony
The official dedication of the MLK Memorial
West Potomac Park
Sunday, August 28, 11 am
Comfortable clothing, free and open to the public

Concert On The Mall
A post-dedication concert to rock into the night
West Potomac Park
Sunday, August 28, 2 pm-4 pm
Comfortable clothing, free and open to the public

All images are courtesy of the Washington, DC Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation, Inc. (c) 2010 – 2011. All Rights Reserved. Images are not to be reproduced and / or distributed without the express consent of the Washington, DC Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation, Inc.