The Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial Construction Project relies on public donations

Building the Dream one dollar at a time

 

Chicago, IL –  (BlackNews.com) — Construction has been delayed several times over the past few years on what will someday be a historical Mecca for many Americans. The Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project, located in Washington, DC, was slated for completion in April 2008, but due to flagging donations the memorial’s completion has been tentatively scheduled to commence in Spring of 2011. The completion can only occur through continued financial support from private and public donors.

“It is unfortunate that the original construction milestone was passed, as the scheduled opening date of April 4, 2008, was the 40th anniversary of Martin Luther King, Junior’s death,” said Nye Hurst, advocate and supporter of African American historical preservation. “However, there is an opportunity for the general public to get involved and show their support in the project through individual donations. One time donations come in all denominations, and individuals that donate five dollars or more online will receive a blue ‘Build the Dream’ wristband to show their support.”

Many Fortune 500 companies have donated generously toward the establishment of the memorial, which is a great honor and recognition of the well respected Nobel Peace Prize winner and historical figure. To date, the Foundation has raised $108 of the $120 million needed to complete the memorial. A goal of Hurst’s is to assist the Foundation in garnering the public’s donations by Juneteenth, (June 19), which is the African American celebration of the day when the final slaves were notified they were free under the Emancipation Proclamation.

“I have dedicated two weeks of my time to visit in the Chicago area and discuss the urgency of completing the fundraising arm of this project as soon as possible. I chose Chicago specifically because it was the inspiration for the next phase of Martin Luther King’s campaign – Poor People’s Campaign – for socio-economic equality, before his life was tragically cut short,” said Hurst.

Those interested in donating to the Martin Luther King, Jr., National Memorial Construction project can do so by visiting the Memorial’s website, www.mlkmemorial.org, or by mailing donations directly to the foundation:

Washington, DC Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation
401 F Street, NW, Ste. 334, Washington, DC, 20001

The Memorial is under construction on the National Mall in Washington, DC, and will feature a three-story sculpture of Dr. King, granite wall spanning over 2,300 cubic ft. inscribed with excerpts of his speeches, and hundreds of cherry and elm trees. Recently, an interactive webcam was installed at the Memorial to allow viewers to monitor the construction live. To view the webcam, visit www.MLKMemorial.org/earthcam.
About Nye Hurst
Nye has been involved in a variety of community affairs for over 20 years and is currently finishing his first book which details current issues in the African-American race. He has a Bachelor of Science degree from Park University, served twelve years in the United States Air Force, and is a member of Mensa. His primary objective in assisting the Memorial Foundation is to help African Americans find another leader who provides hope and leadership to help lift the less fortunate members in society out of their despair. It is his wish that an endeavor of this sort can bring the same unity and purpose back to the African-American race that existed in the 1960s.