This King Lives On

I know Irene has cancelled the planned dedication of the National Mall's newest memorial, the statue commemorating the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., but this weekend being the anniversary of the March on Washington, it seems appropriate to say a few words about the new installation.

First off, I think it is just beautiful: A concrete mountain separates to allow the visitor to pass through to get to Dr. King's concept of a "stone of hope" from a mountain of sorrow. And the depiction of Dr. King himself is nothing short of breathtaking, even when viewed on a TV screen. The likeness really seems to capture the man and his spirit.

This entire project was first suggested in 1984 and took 25 years once construction began. It is open to the public, but the dedication ceremony will have to wait a bit longer.

I cannot imagine what it must be like to be a person of color old enough to recall segregation (and worse) who then goes to stand before this monument. A man once reviled, a race once unacceptable, and here he is standing some 40 feet tall in proximity to the Lincoln Memorial and the Jefferson Memorial. The emotion must be absolutely overwhelming.

Dr. King's lessons live on to remind us not to underestimate each other but to understand each other. His legacy endures reminding us not to be enraged but engaged in the life of our world and its people. I am reminded of the song lyric: "None of us are free, None of us are free, None of us are free if one of us is chained, none of us are free."

I hope to get to Washington again one day, this time to see this lovely piece of art and to use it to remind my kids of the endurance of the soaring human spirit. They will of course never have to face the trials and tribulations that Dr. King and his movement knew all too well, but they will face their own trials. They need, we all need to see that even when things are at their harshest, the most difficult, that success and advancement are still possibilities. They need to know that you can get through your own mountains of sorrow to arrive finally at the "stone of hope".