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Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial

1964 Independence Avenue Southwest, Washington, District of Columbia 20024 USA

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Free

Free to Visit

Open Now

Thu 12a-11:59p

Independent
Pet Friendly
Wheelchair
Accessible
Outdoor
Seating
No Wifi

Iconic Attraction

Our Take

Inscriptions on walls and the monument itself reference King’s words, which are still as relevant as vital today as they were when he first spoke them decades ago. The memorial, dedicated in 2011, is the first on the National Mall to honor an African American and only the fourth to honor a non-president. The powerful visual of a finely-sculpted King emerging from a rough-hewn pillar of stone echoes King’s words: “With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope.”

by Alexandra Charitan

“National Memorial to a Man of Conscience”

August 28, 2011, the 48th anniversary of the groundbreaking March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom witnessed the dedication of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. It is fitting that on this date, reminiscent of the defining moment in Dr. King's leadership in the Civil Rights movement; in the form of solid granite, his legacy is further cemented in the tapestry of the American experience. His leadership in the drive for realization of the freedoms and liberties laid down in the foundation of the United States of America for all of its citizens, without regard to race, color, or creed is what introduced this young southern clergyman to the nation. The delivery of his message of love and tolerance through the means of his powerful gift of speech and eloquent writings inspire to this day, those who yearn for a gentler, kinder world . His inspiration broke the boundaries of intolerance and even national borders, as he became a symbol, recognized worldwide of the quest for civil rights of the citizens of the world.