Greetings from Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial

This park is part of the reason we bought our home here, 25 years ago. We’ve gone through 2 sets of black labs, as my wife had cancer, & we couldn’t have kids. But the park path is “maintained” year-round (mowed, to plowed), so this makes for a wonderful source of nature, & location for exercise! The dogs love it, & I love the work-out in nature!

Sincerely,
Guy

Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial

The Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial was designed to evoke a symbolic journey through struggle into hope. To enter the memorial, visitors pass through a 30-foot boulder, inscribed with the famous words from King's iconic 1963 "I Have a Dream" speech: "Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope." Just beyond the entrance, one wedge of rock distinctly emerges from the boulder — the "Stone of Hope" that stands at the centerpiece of the memorial — a contemplative statue of King overlooking the Tidal Basin. A 450-foot crescent-shaped granite wall surrounds this Stone of Hope, inscribed with quotations by King representing themes of justice, democracy, hope and love. This 2011 tribute to King's legacy is the first major memorial on the National Mall to honor an African-American and a leader who was not an American president.

State(s): District of Columbia

Established: 2011

“Block-watch, & village maintenance.”

National parks represent the best of America. Why do you care about protecting and preserving them? Tell us why parks matter to you!

{{ active ? "Cancel" : "Begin"}}

Success! Thanks for sharing your story with us.

You’ll be notified by email when your story is approved and added to the collection on the My Park Story homepage.

In the meantime, you can share your own story page with your family and friends — and help us spread the word about these priceless memories and priceless places!

Here’s your unique story page link:

{{ storyUrl }}

* indicates Required fields

Click to choose a file to upload

Submitting your story means that you agree to our Terms of Service

More Stories

  • Greetings from Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial

    I was able to go to the memorial at night and the statue of Martin Luther King Jr was a beautiful piece of art. I remember seeing the inscription wall and noting that was a great tribute to him in Potomac Park

  • Greetings from Grand Teton National Park

    These bison are in the Tetons. I set up the camera and watched the pair for an hour or so, then took this picture when things looked just right. This area would surely make a great spot for a baseball stadium. There would be room for the stadium, parking lot,…

  • Greetings from Yellowstone National Park

    Yellowstone was the first national park I ever visited, and launched me on my journey to visit as many parks as I possibly could throughout my life. The beauty of Yellowstone is unbelievable. I remember feeling so emotional gazing at all of the scenery and majestic animals. My trip here…

Donate

Preserve Our Parks

Make a tax-deductible gift today to provide a brighter future for our national parks and the millions of Americans who enjoy them.

Donate Now