Responding to criticism over a truncated quote on the Martin Luther King Memorial sculpture, the U.S government agreed Friday to return it to its complete form. Resource for this article: Martin Luther King Memorial quote to be restored

'Drum major' quote truncates original intent

Secretary of the Inside Ken Salazar and National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis declared Friday that the truncated "drum major" quote on the memorial will be altered to more correctly represent the slain civil rights leader's intention in his complete quotation. The decision was reached following a meeting on Feb. 6 with surviving members of King's family regarding the memorial, which was recently dedicated at the National Mall.

The quotation that is currently there was paraphrased from a sermon he gave in Atlanta at the Ebenezer Baptist Church in 1968. It reads: “I was a drum major for justice, peace and righteousness.”

The problem is with the word “if” being left out, according to poet Maya Anjelou who spoke after the October 16, 2011 dedication:

"The quote makes Dr. Martin Luther King look like an arrogant twit. ... He was anything but that. He was far too profound a man for that four-letter word to apply."

The entire quotation

The announcement on Friday assured the public that the quotation would be restored in its entirety. The entire passage from the sermon reads:

“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.”

Deadline not needed

On January 14 Salazar told the National Parks Service it had 30 days to take a look at its options on changing the quotation. The final decision was reached and announced four days short of the deadline.

Dr. King’s life needed dignity, which is why the change was essential, according to Salazar:

“President Obama’s dedication of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial was a proud moment for our country and a reminder of the continuing relevance of Dr. King’s dream of dignity, respect and justice for all. With a monument so powerful and timeless, it is especially important that all aspects of its words, design and meaning stay true to Dr. King’s life and legacy.”

Salazar was thanked by King’s youngest daughter Bernice King. She said it was about time they “get it right” in the government.

Monument to be swapped out

Jarvis said he hopes that the change will happen before Jan 13 on Dr. King’s next birthday. The National Parks Service said it will cost a lot of money to make the change because the entire piece of granite will have to be pulled out and changed. Many options for funding are being considered including charitable contributions.

The Council of Historians of the Memorial Foundation and the U.S. Fine Arts Commission approved the entire quotation during the design review process before the statue was commissioned. That means more review is unnecessary.

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Huffington Post

Washington Post

Examiner.com