Atlanta Unveils Martin Luther King Jr. Statue

Source: News Channel 9

The statue honoring the civil rights leader and icon has been in the making for over three years.

In a report from NPR, the bronze statue of Martin Luther King Jr. will stand outside of the Georgia State Capitol in King's hometown of Atlanta. It was unveiled on Monday.

"The King statue will inspire and give hope to generations to come," state Rep. Calvin Smyre, a member of the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus who helped raise money for the statue, said. "The day the statue memorializing [King] is unveiled will be a great day in the history of our state and nation."

Rev. Bernice King, the daughter of the famed civil rights legend, was also present at the unveiling of the statue and offered some words on the occasion.

"Forty-nine years ago when my father was assassinated, he was the most hated man in America. Today, he is one of the most loved men in the world," King said. "Today, we as the sons and daughters of former slaves and former slave owners are here to witness the unveiling of that statue. It is a glorious and grand day in the state of Georgia and in the United States of America and all over the world."

READ: Takiyah Thompson Arrested For Destroying Confederate Statue In Durham

The monuments' arrival comes at a time where Confederate statues across the country are being removed. Martin's statue joins a number of other monuments on the Capitol grounds including one of Confederate Gen. John B. Gordon and segregationists Sen. Richard Russell and Gov. Eugene Talmadge.

Source: npr.com