A new memorial stands among statues to war heroes and past presidents on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.: a commanding sculpture of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., America's most influential civil rights leader.
Although the memorial's official dedication ceremony was postponed due to Hurricane Irene, it is open to the public and had had thousands of visitors already.
"Look at this. This is what his dream was. Look at all the nationalities that are here today," said one visitor to the memorial.
The tribute to Dr. King has not been without criticism, however; the sculpture was made in China and transported to the U.S., and many feel it should have been made by an American sculptor. However, Master Lei Xixin, the man who sculpted the memorial, says he can directly relate to Dr. King's message of equality because he was born into poverty himself.
"When I was doing this sculpture, I felt that I had the same ideology as Dr. King. Equality is the priority. We can't choose what we are born to be, but I truly agree with Dr. King's concept: Everyone is born equally.," Xixin said through a translator.
Quotes
"I tried to convey Martin Luther King's passion through his eyes, facial expression, and stance at this work, a passion that encourages people's hope for the future." - Sculptor Lei Xinxin
"He comes to us not as a poet who was poetic. He comes to us not just as a philosopher who was philosophical. He comes to us as a man who was serious about the business. And so often I saw him in that pose as he was pondering what were the next steps in the struggle." - Rev. Jesse Jackson
Warm Up Questions
1. Who was Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.?
2. What is a memorial, and what purpose does it serve?
3. If you were to design a memorial to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., what would it look like and why?
Discussion Questions
1. Is there a person, event or cause that doesn't currently have a memorial in Washington, D.C. that you think should be memorialized? If so, which one and why?
2. What are your thoughts on the decision to sculpt the King memorial in China instead of in the U.S.?
3. What do you think is Dr. King's main legacy? Do you think it's represented in the new memorial, based on what you saw in the video? Why or why not?
Additional Resources
Slide Show: Unveiling the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
