Today is the official commemoration of the birth of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Last year, a monument was erected on the Washington D.C. Mall in his honor. On each side of the monument is an inscription from one of Dr. King’s speeches (although, oddly, “I Have a Dream” is omitted). On the right side is the inscription “I was a drum major for justice, peace and righteousness.” However, Dr. King never made that quote. His actual words were: “Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice. Say that I was a drum major for peace. I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter.”
Sadly, Dr. King was purposely misquoted by memorial planners so the chosen words would fit aesthetically on the granite. Now, monument planners want to make their wrong a right.
As a fitting birthday present to the revered civil rights leader, monument planners have announced they will now correct the quote so that it is accurate.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DR. KING!
Happy birthday Dr King