EXPLORE
A STRUCTURE
OF HOPE AND UNITY
By Rajab Saidi
T
he city of Washington DC
named after the first presi-
dent George Washington, is a
hub for many iconic structures with
ancient architecture. D.C is a city of
26
monumental buildings and national
shrines. The Lincoln memorial is a
popular land mark and tourist at-
traction in the city. More to that it is a
symbol of unity, justice and freedom.
Lincoln memorial
cabin in Kentucky and left a mark by
leading America to what it is today.
He condemned slavery and was
vocal about it.
The constriction includes 36
doctrine columns to represent each
state at the time Lincoln’s death. The
architect made sure the monument
is built from material from different
parts of the country for example the
graphite steps are from Massachu-
setts, ceiling tiles from Alabama.
Lime stone walls from Indiana to
mention a few states.
The memorial grew to become a
platform of free speech and protests.
In 1939 African American singer
Marian Anderson was barred from
performing to an integrated audi-
ence due to his skin colour. Then
first lady Eleanor Roosevelt stepped
in and brought Anderson’s show to
the Lincoln memorial where 75, 000
listeners showed up. She would per-
form there again years later during
the March to Washington
March to Washington
During the march, 250,000 people
gathered on the Washington Mall to
demand civil rights and econom-
ic freedom for African Americans.
The highlight of the march was the
famous speech by Dr Martin Luther
King ‘I have a dream’ that begins
with a tribute to Lincoln.
‘I am happy to join with you today
in what will go down in history as the
greatest demonstration for freedom
in the history of our nation.
Five score years ago, a great
American, in whose symbolic shad-
ow we stand today, signed the
Emancipation Proclamation. This
momentous decree came as a great
beacon light of hope to millions of
Negro slaves who had been seared
in the flames of withering injustice.
It came as a joyous daybreak to
end the long night of their captivity’.
Martin Luther King (1963)
Dr King’s speech was then com-
memorated on a plank on the steps
of the monument. Later on, he got a
memorial of his own.
After the match of Washington,
the monument has since been a
platform where Americans can voice
their concerns and worries from
anti-war protests to hundreds of
other marches. 50 years after the
march to Washington, the first black
president reflected on the legacy of
the monument.
‘During the march, 250,000 peo-
ple gathered on the Washington Mall
to demand civil rights and economic
freedom for African Americans.
The highlight of the march was the
famous speech by Dr Martin Luther
King ‘I have a dream’ that begins
with a tribute to Lincoln.’
The monument’s construction
begun in 1914, architect Henry
Bacon was tasked with designing a
monument that would commem-
orate and uphold the legacy of the
former president Abraham Lincoln.
Mr Lincoln was born in a humble log
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