As part of his visit to Washington Prime Minister David Cameron paid his respects to the father of the US civil rights movement, Dr Martin Luther King Junior at the official memorial dedicated to the inspirational African-American pastor and humanitarian. The visit came on Friday ahead of Martin Luther King Jr. Day which was celebrated on Monday – a national holiday in the US.
On the visit, the Prime Minister said: “Martin Luther King remains a figure of truly historical significance – not just in the United States but for the world as a whole. As we mark the birthday of the great man we are reminded of his incredible life and legacy. His leadership in the civil rights movement, which helped shape and change an entire nation for the better, remains an inspiration to millions of people regardless their age, creed or colour. His words still echo in the minds of those who heard them and enthuse those born in the years that have followed. And his actions of non-violent activism – in the face of violence and intimidation – give hope to those still seeking equality and freedom. Let his dream never die.”
Located in National Mall, Washington, the Martin Luther King Junior memorial is just metres from the Lincoln Memorial where in 1963 he delivered his famous ‘I have a dream’ speech during the height of the civil rights movement. The memorial is near the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial and sits within a “line of leadership” from the Lincoln Memorial to the Jefferson Memorial.
The imposing memorial is inscribed with excerpts from many of King’s sermons and speeches. The memorial was dedicated in October 2011 in a ceremony led by US President Barack Obama, the First lady and other US political and religious leaders.
The Prime Minister also visited the Lincoln Memorial, which came shortly after he received a rare, first-edition, signed copy of Benjamin P. Thomas’s Abraham Lincoln: A Biography from President Obama.
