MLK Memorial: Weakness Vs. Strength

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MLK Memorial: Weakness vs. Strength Martin Luther King, Jr: visionary, peace-maker, leader, speaker, and activist. These are the words used to describe America’s dreamer and role model. There had never been an activist like King, who inspired so many to advance toward equality using nonviolent civil disobedience based upon King’s Christian beliefs. Dedicated on August 28, 2011, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial in Washington D.C., accentuates King’s history and the larger narrative of the nation. Therefore, with so much respect ascribed onto one man, it is unsurprising that many critics harshly disapprove of King’s monument and its failed features. Yet, there are many numerous viewers who applaud the depiction of King’s strength and its embodiment to all races; it is for this reason, the The Memorial succeeded in its design. The King Memorial raises some concerns, including the position of the stone, King’s body language, and the unfortunate comparisons to Social Realism. For example, when visitors pass through Mountain of Despair, the first structure that greats the viewer, is a large stone: the back of King. Many who criticize …show more content…

It is true King is represented in a domineering way, but perhaps his massive structure represents the large and overwhelming struggle to the pursuit of equality. With his arms folded, it shows the strength King required himself to possess in order to accomplish what he did. Towering over injustice, he holds a document in his hand, which very well may be his, “I Have a Dream Speech.” When the spectator enters the memorial, green plants and fountains display vitality and life. The “designers wanted a post-racial design…seeking uplifting [and unified] scenery (Bruyneel 81). The inscription walls stress the four primary messages of King: justice, democracy, hope, and

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