The Legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. and His Memorial

Martin Luther King, Jr. carved into the Stone of Hope

NPS Photo

Quick Facts

Location:

Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial

Designation:

National Park

Amenities

2 listed

Information - Ranger/Staff Member Present, Wheelchair Accessible

Dr. King used civil disobedience to challenge status quo in order to make the world a better place for all. He will be remembered in history for his efforts. This national memorial helps ensure that. 

King wasn’t going to be limited by conventional wisdom. He wasn’t going to be constrained by lines on a map or biases.  

King reminded us we are all part of planet Earth. Remember to reach across the lines. Be neighborly to foster the commonality we share as part of a world community. 

King reminded us to foster the commonality we share as humanity. Biases tend to impede unity. (You can’t spell humanity without unity.) 

If a man can be judged by the company he keeps, perhaps the same can be said about a memorial.  

King sought to unite human diversity. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial was created to represent that. It also unites national memorials, not just in the symbolic ways mentioned during this tour, but by being a thruway between the other memorials on the Tidal Basin and memorials on the National Mall.