NY Librarians : Honoring Our History through Artwork: Martin Luther King, Jr. in Library of Congress Primary Sources

Monday, January 21, 2013

Honoring Our History through Artwork: Martin Luther King, Jr. in Library of Congress Primary Sources

Mural at Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library, District of Columbia Public Library

January and February have a number of memorial holidays, but special days aren’t the only way communities celebrate their heroes.

Are there statues in your community created to honor those who have made a difference? Have buildings in your town been named or renamed for important people in history? Do you know of streets named for notable people? What can a memorial–a place, a building, a work of art–tell us about the individual, the community, and the memorial’s creators?

In many cities in the United States you will find a street named for Martin Luther King, Jr. Many places have schools or other buildings named for Dr. King. Washington, D.C., is no exception. The nation’s capital is home to the national King Memorial and we have a major street named for King. The District of Columbia central library building also bears his name. Walk inside and you can see a unique tribute to the civil rights leader. Noted artist Don Miller created a mural documenting King’s life, as seen here in a photograph from the Carol M. Highsmith Archive at the Library of Congress. Read more...