Thousands of people gathered yesterday in Washington, D.C. to pay homage to slain civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
President Bush and present day civil rights leaders broke ground on what will be the King
memorial, the first monument dedicated to an African American in the
United States. When complete, the statue will stand between the Jefferson and Lincoln memorials.
memorial, the first monument dedicated to an African American in the
United States. When complete, the statue will stand between the Jefferson and Lincoln memorials.
“The
King Memorial will stand on a piece of ground between the Jefferson and
Lincoln memorials and, by its presence in this place, it will unite the
men who declared the promise of America and defended the promise of
America with the man who redeemed the promise of America,” Bush said of the statue.
King Memorial will stand on a piece of ground between the Jefferson and
Lincoln memorials and, by its presence in this place, it will unite the
men who declared the promise of America and defended the promise of
America with the man who redeemed the promise of America,” Bush said of the statue.
Oprah and Illinois Senator Barack Obama also attended the ground breaking ceremony.
“I will tell them this man gave his life serving others,” Obama said, when describing what he’d tell his children about Dr. King. “I
will tell them this man tried to love somebody. I will tell them that
because he did those things they live today, with the freedom God
intended, their citizenship unquestioned, their dreams unbounded.”
will tell them this man tried to love somebody. I will tell them that
because he did those things they live today, with the freedom God
intended, their citizenship unquestioned, their dreams unbounded.”
The King memorial is said to cost $100 million to
complete. To date, about $63 million has been raised for the project.
complete. To date, about $63 million has been raised for the project.
The centerpiece will contain King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech.
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