Martin Luther King, Jr Memorial

A Stone of Hope

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial in Washington, D.C. was created in 2011 to commemorate the life and work of Dr. King, paying homage to his leadership in the civil rights movement through nonviolent resistance. Dr. King’s message remained one of justice, peace, and righteousness throughout trying times. His inspiration broke the boundaries of intolerance, and he became a symbol of the quest for civil rights worldwide.

The sculpture, called the “Stone of Hope,” gets its name from a line in Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech which states, “With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope.” At the entrance to the memorial, two stones stand apart representing the “Mountain of Despair.” A single wedge is pushed forward, and from there Dr. King’s form emerges.

The 30 foot tall sculpture stands on a four-acre plot at the northwest corner of the Tidal Basin, across from the Thomas Jefferson Memorial. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial forms a visual “line of leadership” from the Lincoln Memorial to the Jefferson Memorial, which symbolizes the connection between these leaders at important points in the nation’s civil rights history.

BEGA’s 77 869 large scale floodlights with narrow beam light distribution play a key role in illuminating this illustrious and inspirational national monument. Additional 360° glare shields were used to improve visual comfort for memorial visitors.