Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
Artist:Tarr, William
With: Frost, A. Corwin, architect
Status: In Situ
Title: Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial (sculpture)
Dates: 1973. Rededicated Jan. 15, 1992
Medium: Cor-Ten steel
Dimensions: H. 28 ft. x W. 28 ft. x D. 28 ft.
Inscription:(On east face of sculpture:) W. Tarr (copyright symbol) 1973 signed
Description: A massive cube, resembling a printer’s block, bears quotations, initial letters, and dates that mark the milestones of King’s life. The east side facing Amsterdam Avenue displays the initials of King’s family members and his life dates, 1929-1968. The north face of the block describes King’s role as a civil rights leader by referring to other activists, represented by their initials in the lower right corner –RDA for Ralph D. Abernathy, JJ for Jesse Jackson, and BR for Bayard Rustin. In the southern facade, near the top left is 12-10-64, the date King accepted the Nobel Peace Prize. Below this are the initials SCLC for Southern Christian Leadership Conference and MIA for Montgomery Improvement Association. All three are organizations in which King played a key role.
Owner: New York City School Construction Authority, Public Art for Public Schools, New York, New York. Located at Martin Luther King, Jr., High School, 122 Amsterdam Avenue at 66th Street, New York, New York
Remarks: A monument to the civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., this work abstractly conveys the biography and spirit of his achievements rather than present a physical or figural likeness. The architect of the Martin Luther King Jr. High School had originally asked the sculptor to design a fountain for the main plaza, but following Dr. King’s assassination in 1968, the decision was made to create a memorial instead.Tarr said of the commission, “The prime requisite was to make a valid work of art. For eons, people have been building obelisks with somebody’s name on a plaque, but this is very personal.”
References: Anderson, Susan Heller and David W. Dunlap, “Dr. King Sculpture Protected by Planks,” New York Times, May 30, 1986, Section B, p. 2.
Gayle, Margot & Michele Cohen, “Guide to Manhattan’s Outdoor Sculpture,” New York: Prentice Hall, 1988, pg. 271.
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