The Martin Luther King Memorial was unveiled and given to President Obama to present to the people of the United States of America. This is the first monument on the mall that is not a war memorial or a presidential monument
The memorial was supposed to be dedicated on August 28, the anniversary date of Dr. King’s I Have a Dream Speech. It had to be delayed because of the hurricane and the earthquake.
President Obama’s speech:
Was it Sharpton that compared the OWS folks to the civil rights movement? When they wouldn’t’ let Rep. John Lewis speak in Atlanta? Love it!!
I like the idea of a MLK monument on the Mall. I just don’t understand why they didn’t find an American, much less a black American, to carve it. Why go to China? Don’t we have ENOUGH things made in China?
Does anyone have anything positive to say about the memorial?
It’s dedication was delayed by a hurricane…..was that positive?
@Moon-howler Not Maya Angelou. She thinks the memorial’s inscription makes him seem arrogant, because it was paraphrased as: ““I was a drum major for justice, peace, and righteousness.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/maya-angelou-says-king-memorial-inscription-makes-him-look-arrogant/2011/08/30/gIQAlYChqJ_story.html
Maya Angelou has the right to say whatever she wants. She is a huge favorite of mine. I actually didn’t have an opinion of the statue other than I don’t think it resembles him. He is more budda-esk in likeness than I would prefer. But….Maya rules the day. In fact, I might like an audible book by Maya.
@Moon-howler
I thought that I was positive. I like the idea of a MLK monument on the mall.
Since I haven’t seen it in person, and I think that I can only get a true sense of it by doing that, I don’t want to comment on its aesthetics until I can give an accurate answer.
I didn’t like the Wall, until I walked it.
I don’t know, I think at some point there will be an oversaturation of monuments on the Mall, and they will lose their impact. I’m not sure if we haven’t already gotten there.
Probably. I have never been able to find the Korean War one from the car. My favorite is the WWII Memorial. I think that is the most beautiful of them all.
@Moon-howler
To understand the Korean War memorial, you probably had to be there. It is very dramatic in its own way. A squad on patrol…been there…done that…scarey as Hell.
AS to the MLK memorial–looks like he was part Chinese–what we get for doing it on the cheap.
Moon says it’s the only memorial that is not about a war or a president. Wasn’t MLK waging a war against racism?
I’m with Moon on Maya Angelou…she rules.
Cargo, I think the Vietnam memorial means more to those of us who were on the ground and, in my case, often smeared in the blood of some of those on the wall.
@George S. Harris
You may be right about the Wall. However, I do get it. My brother is a Vietnam Vet Marine Helo Pilot.
He absolutely, positively, completely hates the wall as a monument.
@Cargosquid
Am sorry to hear that about your brother but I can also understand. I think my own relationship is a love-hate kind of thing. Nearly 60,000 names on that wall and for what? Absolutely nothing–we continue to attempt to put a good face on a war we lost by any measure you can come up with. And now we are trading with Vietnam and travelling there like nothing ever happened. Yet 90 miles off the coast of Florida lies a country that used to be our “friend” and we are still at war with. In addition, a good chunk of Florida is “occupied” by Cubans who continue to foment the “war” because it gives them unconditional entre’ to the U.S.
@George
Then there are Germany and Japan. The love fest there started decades ago.
I get furious every time I go to the Wall. The lies that were told and I was young and stupid enough to buy in to make me sick. The lives lost–60,000 of my generation–and for what? I have never figured out the for what part of it. The only semi cure is to go around to the WWII Monument where the numbers are greater and start connecting the dots.
As a momument and a piece of architecture, however, I think the Wall is very fitting. My feelings about it in no way should detract from those who gave their lives or from those who gave life, limb and youth and yes, part of their soul.