Washington, DC - April 6, 2010 - The month of April marks the 42nd anniversary of the death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The Memorial is conceived as an engaging landscape experience to convey four fundamental and recurring themes throughout Dr. King’s life – democracy, justice, hope, and love. Natural elements such as the crescent-shaped-stone wall inscribed with excerpts of his sermons, and public addresses will serve as the living testaments of his vision of America. The centerpiece of the Memorial, the “Stone of Hope”, will feature a 30-foot likeness of Dr. King.
Within the memorial, quotes from Dr. King's sermons and speeches, arranged chronologically according to his life, are to be inscribed at a large scale on the glistening smooth surfaces of the water wall. These passages will be reinforced through the referential use of water, stone and light as metaphorical elements that heighten an awareness of his message.
After years of fund raising, the memorial is now $14 million away from its $120 million goal. This will be more than a monument to a great humanitarian, the National Memorial will be a place for visitors from around the world to share the spirit of love, freedom, and peace.
View of the Main Entry from West Basin Drive
The Ceremonial Groundbreaking occurred on November 13, 2006. The Dedication of the Memorial is tentatively scheduled for the Fall of 2011.
Location: National Mall in Washington, D.C.
Landscape: Natural elements – water, stone, trees – are used to underscore the themes of justice, democracy and hope, and love.
Composition and Space: This memorial is not designed to be experienced in a single way with one single message, but rather it is to have a broad accessibility, appealing to all of the senses with diverse, repetitive and overlapping themes.
BuildTheDream.org
Individuals as well as corporations can add their financial support to this effort. Contributions, large and small, are needed to attain the goal of $120 million. Spread the word to your friends, neighbors and acquaintances that their donations are urgently needed. Most major employers match employee donations, so if you donate to the Memorial Foundation your employer may double that amount.
Dr. Martin Luther King is remembered as a great orator whose impact on the nation came from the eloquence and inspirational quality of his words. His speeches, sermons and public addresses melded themes of democracy deeply embedded in the American conscience, and reinvigorated these messages with clear and insightful reflections on the true meaning of justice and equality.
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