Martin Luther King Jr. is an important American. He was a civil rights leader. And he helped improve the lives of Black people. The United States honors Dr. King with a holiday each January. And many artists have celebrated him through art.
All kinds of artwork honor Martin Luther King Jr. There are paintings, pictures, and poems. Some artists used songs or sculptures. A few drew King with Lego!
One famous artwork is at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial. Lei Yixin carved a statue there. This tall sculpture is called the “Stone of Hope.” It stands in Washington, D.C. That’s where King gave his “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963.
Many cities feature statues of King. Several stand where he was born — Atlanta, Georgia. Martin Dawe designed one for the Georgia State Capitol. It was in 2017. Basil Watson’s sculpture opened in 2021. Atlanta added a new statue of King in 2023.
Desiree Kelly created a King in Bowie, Maryland. “It represents unity of the city,” said Kelly. The artist added King’s words that he wrote from jail. Her art says: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
Artists have honored King around the world. One was Alexandra Andreica from Romania. She made a painting of King. She said she did that because of his “determination to his dream.” Kelly called King “a source of hope.”
Westminster Abbey holds a famous artwork of King in London, England. Tim Crawley designed it for the church. It includes 10 people. Crawley said each one “gave their lives for others.” He placed King at the center. And he added: “A little girl sits at his feet.”
King knew he would be killed for his work. That happened in 1968. Yet “he refused to be ,” said Crawley. “And he defended the rights of all.”
Updated January 12, 2024, 5:01 P.M. (ET)
By Russell Kahn (Russ)
