What makes a man or woman great? Is it their actions? Their thoughts? The words they share that inspire others? Their writings? Their courage? A combination of the above?
Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."
-Martin Luther King Jr.
Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.
As I stood at the entrance of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial taking in the memorialized words of this great man, I began to wonder.
The sun was deceiving. It was sunglasses weather, but it was also skin a bear and wear his fur to keep yourself warm weather. As the heavy wind gusts pushed us to and fro, we made our way beyond the murky frozen Potomac, past the Lincoln Memorial and along the Washington Mall towards the relatively new Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial.
Making our way down Independence Ave., the National Monument in the distance, Dr. King's memorial seemed to appear suddenly, three dignified cream colored peaks before us.
I was drawn immediately to the wall of Dr. King's quotes, presented in a smooth arc behind his statue. A powerful living memorial, I followed the semi-circle of quotes, taking each one in, letting them resonate.
The Martin Luther King Jr. memorial was dedicated on August 28th 2011, 48 years after the historic March on Washington.
Behind Dr. Kings image lies the mountain of despair, which is divided into two pieces to symbolize the hope of the present. In the distance, between the mountain of despair, one gets a clear view of the Jefferson memorial, a symbol of freedom and liberty.
Located in West Patomac Park in Washington D.C., the memorial is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There is a parking area.
The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial: 1964 Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC