Building a Memorial

The winning design
                 The architect of the memorial told the newspaper that the design was very important.  "The design had to give us the opportunity to capture the words of  Dr. King on a vertical, flat surface," he said.
                 The builders used granite (GRAN-it) to make the memorial.  This design and strong stone will last many years.
                 The design also includes water and plants, including blossoming cherry and American elm trees.  Vistors will hear and see a waterfall next to the long wall with Dr. King's quotations.  The wall is made of green granite, which blends with the natural landscape.
Four themes
                 The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial highlights four themes from Dr. King's massages: democracy, justice, hope and love.  We have included a few of Dr. King's quotes from the memorial that talk about these values.
From despair, hope
                 One of the main elements of the design is the Mountain of Despair, a large stone cut in half with space to walk through.  This part of the design symbolizes the struggle of the civil rights movement.
                 The centerpiece of the memorial is the Stone of Hope, which features a 30-foot-tall carving of Dr. King.
A place in History
                On Aug. 28, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous "I Have a Dream" speech from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.  He was also a great admirer of President Thomas Jefferson.  His new memorial lies in a straight line between the Lincoln Memorial and the Jefferson Memorial.
Dedicating the site
                Before the official dedication of the new memorial on Sunday, Aug. 28, other events will honor leaders from the civil rights movement, some of whom were victims of violence during the struggle for equality for African-Americans.  Kids will be able to participate in events in Washington to learn more about the memorial.
                President Barack Obama is scheduled to deliver a speech to open the memorial.
How did Kids help?
                The kids for King Education Initative is a program that took place in schools all over the country.  Kids could write an essay, create a piece of art or produce a short video about Dr. King's ideals.  Winners visited Washington and the memorial site.
                Kids and families also raised money through ice cream socials and coin drives.  These funds helped build the memorial.