Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, (sculpture).

Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, (sculpture).

Gordon, Elsbeth Kunzig, sculptor.

Bigler, Alexander, founder.

Equestrian Forge, founder.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, (sculpture).

Dedicated 1986, 1987 and 1988.

Digital Reference:

Sculpture: bronze; Relief: bronze; Base: limestone, granite, plants.

Sculpture: approx. H. 3 ft.; Base: approx. W. 7 ft. 6 in. x D. 7 ft. 6 in.

Gordon Kunzig (On bronze relief plaque:) I HAVE A DREAM/WE'VE GOT SOME/DIFFICULT DAYS/AHEAD. BUT IT/DOESN'T MATTER/WITH ME NOW./BECAUSE I'VE BEEN/TO THE MOUNTAIN TOP./MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR./1929-1968 (On plaque on front of basin:) PRESENTED TO THE CITIZENS OF GAINESVILLE AND ALACHUA/COUNTY/BY THE/MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. FUND, INC./JANUARY 16, 1989 (On plaque on back:) I HAVE A DREAM/"...I have a dream that one/day this nation will rise up/and live out the true meaning/of its creed, 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.'..."/NONVIOLENCE/"...Violence is immoral because/it thrives on hatred rather than/love. It destroys community and/makes brotherhood impossible...It creates bitterness in the survivors/and brutality in the destroyers..."/BROTHERHOOD/"...We must all learn to live together/as brothers or we will perish together/as fools..." (On book carried by girl:) MEDICINE (On book carried by boy:) SPACE EXPLORATION signed

Full-length figures of a young girl and boy, standing back-to-back. The girl wears a dress and has her hair in pigtails. She wears a stethoscope around her neck and holds the end of it with her proper right hand. In her proper left hand she carries a closed book. The boy wears a bow tie and shorts. In his proper left hand he is holding up a model of a space shuttle. In his proper right hand he carries a closed book. The bronze sculpture stands atop a base made of limestone blocks capped with granite. Recessed on the front face of the base is a bronze bas-relief plaque with a portrait bust of Martin Luther King, Jr. in the left center. In the top right corner of the plaque is a portrait of King in proper left profile. He is addressing a crowd; his proper right arm is raised. In the bottom right corner of the plaque are several men with placards on their chests, marching. The man leading them holds a flag. The sculpture and base stand in the center of a fountain pool which is planted with various water plants.

Portrait male -- King, Martin Luther, Jr. -- Head

Ethnic -- African American

Occupation -- Other -- Reformer

Occupation -- Religion -- Clergy

Occupation -- Political

Object -- Other -- Stethoscope

Object -- Written Matter -- Book

Outdoor Sculpture -- Florida -- Gainesville

City of Gainesville, City Manager, 200 East University Avenue, Gainesville, Florida 32601

The bronze relief panel on the memorial was dedicated in 1986. The plaque of Dr. King's speeches was dedicated in 1987. The bronze sculpture of the children was dedicated in 1988. The sculpture cost $8,000. IAS files contain copies of related articles from The Gainesville Sun, Nov. 25, 1986 and Jan. 19, 1988.

Save Outdoor Sculpture, Florida survey, 1993.

The Gainesville Sun, Jan. 19, 1988.

The information provided about this artwork was compiled as part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture database, designed to provide descriptive and location information on artworks by American artists in public and private collections worldwide.

Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture, Smithsonian American Art Museum, P.O. Box 37012, MRC 970, Washington, D.C. 20013-7012

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