3D model of Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial - USA

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial is the first on the National Mall not devoted to a U.S. President or war hero. Famous for leading the civil rights movement from the 1950s until his assassination in 1968, the memorial honors Dr. King and his message of freedom, equality, and love. The memorial was built between 2009 and 2011 and is located along the west bank of the Tidal Basin, not far from the location of his iconic 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech. The entry is framed by two large slabs of pink granite symbolizing “The Mountain of Despair.” From there emerges “The Stone of Hope”, a 30-foot piece of granite carved to the likeness of Dr. King by sculptor Lei Yixin. The design, by the Roma Design Group, is inspired by a line from the “I Have a Dream” speech and was selected out of 900 design submissions. A 450-foot wall curving around the memorial’s plaza is inscribed with 14 quotations from Dr. King on themes of democracy, love, justice, and hope.