Expedition Overview
In October 2019, CyArk documented the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial on the National Mall in collaboration with the National Park Service. CyArk employed LiDAR laser scanning and terrestrial photogrammetry to document the entire monument. The memorial is the fourth structure to be documented by CyArk on the National Mall and the resulting 3D model will be incorporated into a virtual educational experience that will teach science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) concepts.
Introducing the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
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.
Symbolism
Each part of the memorial is significant and symbolic. From the looming Mountain of Despair, a Stone of Hope surges forward as the focal point for the memorial. This references a line in King’s speech, “With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope.” There, the striking likeness of Dr. King captured him in a moment of reflective thought, determined and resolute. The detachment of the Stone of Hope from the Mountain of Despair symbolizes victory borne from disappointment.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial quotes (2019) by CyArkCyArk
A wall of quotes spanning Dr. King’s long civil rights career represents his ideals of peace, democracy, justice, and love. As much as the quotes acknowledge the history of the civil rights struggle in America, they can continue to serve as inspiration to others fighting for civil rights around the globe.
Getting to know Dr. King
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a Baptist minister and social activist who became a notable figure during the U.S. civil rights movement from the mid-1950s until he was assassinated in 1968. He played a pivotal role in ending the legal segregation of African American citizens in the U.S., influencing the creation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, among other honors.
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Explore the memorial with Google Street View
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This project was completed in collaboration with the National Mall and Memorial Parks.
