Capitol MLK Statue To Overlook Liberty Plaza
Governor Nathan Deal gave more details Friday about exactly where a statue to honor Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. will be placed at the Georgia Capitol. The comments come after Deal signed a bill to erect the statue last spring.
During a ceremony to honor the late civil rights leader, Governor Nathan Deal said the statue of King will go on the Capitol’s east side – close to the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and Capitol Avenue.
“This memorial will stand within eyeshot of the major thoroughfare that bears his name, in the foreground of what is now the front of the Capitol. A man who proved the power of words far outweighs that of might, Dr. King’s likeness will also be within eyesight of the Liberty Plaza.”
The new plaza across from the Capitol was inaugurated in another ceremony Friday.
Once completed, the King statue will likely stand near that of Eugene Talmage, a former governor and staunch segregationist. Deal says it’s all part of Georgia history.
“I don’t think we do sweep anything under the rug. Sometimes people are selective in their remembrances of history. This Capitol grounds represents almost all of the great history of our state, and I think that’s appropriate.”
Private fundraising for the statue is still underway, and the state still has to work out intellectual property rights with the King Family.
Once an artist is selected, the King statue is expected to take at least six to eight months to sculpt. State Representative Calvin Smyre is in charge of finding funding for the statue and working with the state and King family to finalize the remaining details. He says the statue is likely to be unveiled later this year or during the next year’s MLK ceremony at the Georgia Capitol.
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