Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial is a national monument at the Tidal Basin in West Potomac Park, Washington, D.C., featuring a 30-foot granite statue. The figure emerges from two large stone blocks and stands before a curved wall inscribed with quotations.

The monument opened to the public in 2011 and became the first on the National Mall dedicated to an African American. It commemorates the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s and the leadership of a man known for peaceful protest.

The memorial honors a Baptist minister and activist whose words appear carved into the stone walls surrounding the plaza. Visitors pause to read passages about justice and hope that many Americans learn in school and recognize from history lessons.

The site sits on the western shore of the Tidal Basin and can be reached on foot from several other memorials nearby. National Park Service rangers are often present to answer questions about the grounds and what they represent.

The address on Independence Avenue bears the number 1964, the year a major civil rights law was passed. Chinese sculptor Lei Yixin created the central figure from more than 150 blocks of granite shipped from China.

Location: Washington, D.C.

Location: District of Columbia

Inception: 2011

Creator: Lei Yixin

Subject:

Operator: National Park Service

Website: http://nps.gov/mlkm

GPS coordinates: 38.88611,-77.04417

Latest update: December 14, 2025 21:44