i just returned from Washington, where I went to many museums, as I normally do. However, I also went to the MLK memorial on a Saturday, when the weather was pretty good. It was very moving.
There was a very diverse crowd--some foreigners, and people of all colors. But the most moving to me was seeing the many multiracial families there. Such as the white female partner taking the photo of what appeared to be her black partner, their children, and the man's parents or grandparents. And the many children looking with their parents at the various quotes engraved in the wall, which are also very moving. It was like the vietnam memorial, whre a large part of the experience of going there is witnessing the other visitors and their reactions.
i would say the MLK memorial is a must see.
visiting the MLK memorial
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I have not been but your report makes me want to go and see this! Thanks.
I have to agree with youngtom2910. I debated walking out there as I had already had a long day of walking but I was so glad I did once I got there. I got there about 4:00 on a sunny day and the sun was just starting to go down. The sunlight on the statue of MLK was beautiful. In addition to the diversity of the crowd I noticed that the young people were very much engaged with the monument. At the other monuments the kids were snapping pictures and moving on. At this one they took time to read the quotes on the back wall and really looking at the statue. One young black girl was doing a video of what MLK meant to her. Very moving.
I also visited the MLK memorial on a recent trip to D.C. Most of the trip was for business but I had a late afternoon and evening in the city after my conference was over. I was visiting my son in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood that day and we had decided that we wanted to go to the King memorial.
This was a very cold day for D.C. It had even snowed a little the night before and the weather was not very pleasant in the late afternoon. My son and I walked down to the King memorial from my hotel. Since I had never seen the WW II memorial close up we walked by that first. My son said that this memorial is much more interesting in good weather when the fountains are going.
We both thought that the MLK memorial was impressive. My son did recount some of the complaints people have made: some people think that King's eyes are too slanted and look Asian, and that the quote "I was a drum major for justice" was taken out of context.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/a-monumental-misquote-on-the-martin-luther-king-jr-memorial/2011/09/01/gIQAkmaKvJ_story.html
I was disappointed in the Park service building at the memorial which has no information about it and just offers books about King. There are no informational plaques by the monument, either.
On our way back from the MLK memorial we stopped at the Korean War memorial which is a group of 19 stainless steel figures sculpted by a Vermont artist. I thought it was very moving
We were there the same day you were, in the late morning, and had pretty much the same experience. King made us better than we are.
Thank all of you for your comments. I really want to get to DC to see this.