The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial was dedicated on October 16, 2011
“It is right to remind ourselves that such progress did not come easily. . . it came from the smack of billyclubs, and blasts of fire hoses . . . the nights of bomb threats. For every victory in the height of the civil rights movement there were setbacks, there were defeats.”
President Barack Obama spoke these words at the dedication ceremony for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial in October 2011, over forty years after Dr. King was assassinated.
Today America pauses to honor the Reverend King, a prominent and tireless leader in the civil rights movement, who had a vision for freedom, justice, equality, and opportunity in America that earned him a Nobel Peace Prize and a revered place in American history.
But for many, he is so much more than someone studied in school; someone memorialized in history. For many, he is an enduring symbol of hope demonstrating the power of peace, love, justice, and perseverance. The tears shed at the memorial’s dedication are the best and most accurate example of Dr. King’s continued influence in America and beyond. Of the thousands gathered to dedicate the memorial, most thought they would never see such a day come. For others, it was more personal: they thought they would never see segregation in America end; they thought they would never be able to drink from the same water fountain as a white person; they thought they would never be considered equal.
And we would be remiss if we did not also pause to recognize that despite the triumphs of the last four decades, there is progress to be made still. And, as in Dr. King’s time, this progress will not come easily either.
When I traveled to Washington, D.C. last month, I was humbled to finally be able to visit a memorial that paid tribute not to just this man, but also to the ideals he embodied and the dreams he imagined. It saddened me to realize that this memorial also symbolized the struggle against injustice waged by millions over the past few centuries. I was reminded that despite many victories, injustice and racism persist.
The Martin Luther King, Jr. memorial is located in West Potomac Park, on the edge of the Tidal Basin across from the Jefferson Memorial. I’m not sure they could have selected a more scenic location.
At the entry to the memorial stand two stone pillars, while another single wedge lies just ahead of them, symbolically and literally separated from what was once one boulder. The symbolism and language used is taken from Dr. King’s famous “I have a dream” speech. The boulder represents the “mountain of despair,” and on one side of the monolith is engraved, “Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope.” Having the Mountain of Despair as the entrance serves as a reminder of the struggle that Dr. King and all African Americans had to (and still do) live through. It forces visitors to move through that symbolic struggle, too, until they reach the “Stone of Hope.”
The entrance to the MLK, Jr. Memorial symbolizes the "Mountain of Despair"
From the front of the “Stone of Hope” emerges Dr. King, as he gazes, arms folded, over the Tidal Basin, looking forward to a future of equality, freedom, and justice.
"Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope"
One of the most moving elements of the memorial is the Inscription Wall, which forms a semi-circle around the memorial on either side of the Mountain of Despair.This element allows the memorial to serve as a reminder of the ideals for which Dr. King stood, not just to honor the man himself. The quotes span from 1955 to 1968, but are not arranged chronologically. None of the quotes are taken from his 1965 “I have a dream” speech because the entire design of the memorial itself deliberately reflects elements of that speech. It’s also important to remember that Dr. King gave hundreds of speeches, with many important messages of justice, hope, equality, and love; it just happens that “I have a dream” is the most well-known. Designers of the memorial felt it was important to communicate King’s message beyond what is most familiar.
Inscription Wall element of MLK, Jr. Memorial
Japanese Yoshino Cherry Trees, which will bloom in spring, surround the entire complex. The trees bloom for two weeks at the beginning of April each year, and are incorporated into the design element to bloom around the time of King’s assassination on April 4th.
MLK, Jr. Memorial as seen across the Tidal Basin
If you’re planning a visit to Washington, D.C. anytime in the near future, plan to make the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial part of your itinerary. As with all the monuments and memorials in Washington, admission is free, and you can even visit after dark (which I highly encourage!). Although there are many memorials to choose from, this one is perhaps most deserving of a visit.
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11 comments in this article
January 16, 2012 pm31 21:23
Hi Ellen, love your pictures! I visited last summer with my family and it was so crowded and hectic but it was still very beautiful and on some levels a little surreal. It was really important for me to get my mother there to see it since she grew up during segregation and recounted to me what she was doing the day Dr. King got assassinated. I think every African American that goes in there will be moved in some way. And judging by your pictures, I think night time would be a great time for me to experience the memorial in peace and solitude. Thanks for the post and I’m glad you were able to experience and appreciate its beauty as well.
January 16, 2012 pm31 21:59
Tawanna,
So glad you were able to visit the MLK memorial. That’s wonderful you were able to go with your mom; what a treasured memory that will be. I am so glad they finally finished it and that it is in such a prominent location. I feel like so many of the other memorials are for wars or for presidents or military generals that it’s great to see them recognize a civil rights leader. My hope is that it will not just be African Americans who are moved by the memorial. Going back at night time is a much better time to take it all in and reflect. I happened to go on an evening right after a rain storm, that’s why the sky was so pink. It was so surreal. Almost like visiting a cemetery to pay your respects. I returned two days later during the day and it was just like any other tourist attraction. Take care, and thanks for reading and sharing your experience at the memorial!
January 17, 2012 am31 10:49
Phenomenal photos. What a great, timely post! (Even though I’m commenting on it a day after the fact…)
January 17, 2012 pm31 20:32
Thanks, Courtney! I was lucky to visit the memorial just as a storm was moving out, so it left the sky quite pink and cloudy at sunset.
January 17, 2012 pm31 13:40
I love the monuments at DC. I will be visiting again this summer and this memorial is definitely on my list. To date, the most moving (and unexpected) memorial for me is the Vietnam War Memorial. Anguishing may be a better word for it.
January 17, 2012 pm31 20:32
I would agree, anguishing is a perfect way to describe it. It’s painful to see all of the names. My favorite memorial is the World War II memorial. We’ll be posting tomorrow and Sunday (in two parts) our favorite memorials in Washington, DC. Glad you’ll have a chance to visit again this summer. It’s a place you can go back to over and over and still find something to do. Thanks for reading.
January 17, 2012 pm31 13:57
I’ve only seen many Southeast Asian Memorials here. The ones that are popular are the War Memorials though I understand in the USA, there are all kinds which are pretty interesting to visit.
January 17, 2012 pm31 20:30
Yes, the war memorials are pretty popular — Vietnam War, Korean War, World War II. We’ll be posting tomorrow and Sunday on our favorite memorials to visit. There are over 150 monuments and memorials scattered throughout Washington, DC!
January 17, 2012 pm31 21:25
Looks like a beautiful monument to Dr. King. Will visit next time I am in DC!
January 18, 2012 pm31 18:55
Awesome! Would love to hear what you think!