Photo courtesy National Archives and Records Administration
Approximately 250,000 people attended the March On Washington in 1963.
Go to the Lincoln memorial in Washington, D.C., and there, on the landing at the foot of the monument, you'll see the words of a true humanitarian. These are not the words of Abraham Lincoln, but rather those of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Chiseled into a section of granite measuring just over 2 feet wide is an inscription that reads:

I Have A Dream
Martin Luther King Jr.
The March On Washington
For Jobs And Freedom
August 28, 1963
This message marks the very spot where Dr. King gave his most recognized speech -- one that addressed more than a quarter of a million people, of many races, who marched on Washington in favor of civil rights. Unveiled on August 22, 2003 -- the 40th anniversary of the Washington march -- this inscription commemorates a man, his work, and a living legacy. Assassinated in 1968, Martin Luther King, Jr. is one of the most prominent figures in the American civil rights movement.


Photo courtesy National Archives and Records Administration
Photograph of White House Meeting with civil rights leaders, June 22, 1963

Like ripples through a pond in the aftermath of one cast stone, King's work as a humanitarian and within the civil rights movement continues to resonate today. In honor of his life's work, we'll use these echoes as a starting point to learn about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.


Further Dr. King's legacy by making community service a way of life. Please visit the King Center's Web site to find a service opportunity in your neighborhood: www.thekingcenter.org.

*Permission granted by Intellectual Properties Management, Atlanta, Georgia, as manager of the King Estate.