Standing tall at the Georgia State Capitol, overlooking Liberty Plaza in Atlanta, the public monument to Martin Luther King Jr catches the eye. Costing a cool $300,000 courtesy of entities like Coca-Cola and the Georgia Building Authority, this marvel rests on a 3-foot base and towers Dr. King's likeness 8 feet above the ground. Sharing the stage with the Korean War Memorial - oddly enough, once a resident of that very location - this statue took a surprising relocation.
Originally, artist Andy Davis was given the task, but circumstances weren't on his side. In stepped Martin Dawe, drawing inspiration from a renowned photo of King and Bayard Rustin during the Montgomery bus boycott. Dawe's design aims to symbolize fresh beginnings and hope, rather than an authoritative figure.
The unveiling ceremony took place on August 28, 2017, contrary to early whispers about it happening in January 2016. A stir of public debates brewed around a plaque situated close to the statue.
Created in 2017, not 2016 - the statue was unveiled on the 54th anniversary of King's famous 'I Have a Dream' speech, not on the day of the statue's dedication.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata
Written by Friendly Jane
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