The Memorial Foundation, builders of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial on the National Mall, welcomed President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris as participants in a special ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the Memorial’s dedication.
Biden spoke during the ceremony on Oct. 21 at the Memorial site, located on Independence Avenue near the Tidal Basin in D.C.
The MLK Jr. Memorial, dedicated in October 2011, stands out as the only memorial on the National Mall dedicated to a person of color. World leaders and cultural icons have joined the three million people who visit the Memorial each year to remember Dr. King’s legacy and be inspired by his words. The site has also been the rally point for peaceful demonstrations centered on social justice and equality.
Award-winning actor and bestselling author Hill Harper emceed the ceremony with speakers who included House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Dr. Joseph Ratliff, Minister Wintley Phipps, Harry Johnson, president and CEO of the Memorial Foundation and Guy Vickers. The ceremony followed the Foundation’s anniversary gala on Oct. 20.
As national leaders and supporters from across the nation gathered to mark the memorial’s first decade, the Foundation shared the 14 inspirational quotes from Dr. King that adorn the Memorial walls and offer reflection and inspiration that continue to be relevant and powerful. The 14 quotes cover the entirety of Dr. King’s life and his four tenets: democracy, justice, love, and hope.
Dr. King’s unforgettable words include the following:
“We shall overcome because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.” (March 31, 1968, National Cathedral, Washington, D.C.)
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.” (1963; Strength to Love)
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” (April 16, 1963; Birmingham, Ala.)
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” (February 25, 1967; Los Angeles)
Learn more at www.thememorialfoundation.org.