![Dan Gross/The Gazette
Kelvin Barber of Riverdale turns to take a picture of the tidal basin with the newly opened Dr. Martin Luther King memorial behind him. He says \" I love it. I heard something about the Chinese doing this and the eyes not being right, but it looks like Martin to me.\"](/storyimage/PN/20110823/NEWS/708239978/AR/0/AR-708239978.jpg "Dan Gross/The Gazette
Kelvin Barber of Riverdale turns to take a picture of the tidal basin with the newly opened Dr. Martin Luther King memorial behind him. He says \\" I love it. I heard something about the Chinese doing this and the eyes not being right, but it looks like Martin to me.\\"")
While hundreds of thousands marched in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 28, 1963, in support of civil and economic rights for black Americans, Lillian Beverly had a slightly different vantage point at the site of Martin Luther King Jr.’s famed “I Have a Dream” speech.
“I was in a wheelchair because I’d broken my foot, and I was pushed along by some of my classmates at Howard University,” said Beverly, the former mayor of North Brentwood, the oldest African-American municipality in Prince George’s County.
“Being in that march, your head swelled. Your eyes became filled with tears. Your heart is overjoyed because you’re saying to yourself, ‘I’m actually a part of this wonderful event.’”
Forty-eight years later, Beverly, now 82, anticipates a similar feeling as she plans to join hundreds of thousands traveling to Washington, D.C., this weekend to celebrate the unveiling of the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial.
“This is a marvelous event. Especially for those of who went through it,” Beverly said. “Because of him and his guidance, we have now settled down and are striving to bring our children to the forefront to help them realize how blessed they are. When we march out there to see the memorial unveiled, our hearts will swell with pride because America is paying homage to a valiant man.”
Upper Marlboro resident Eunice Middleton, 78, recalled attending the march alongside her coworkers at Providence Hospital in the District.
“It was such a beautiful day,” Middleton said. “It was like God was watching over. There was a breeze blowing through and everybody was just in love. Nobody could have brought everybody together. Nobody but King.”
The four-acre, $120 million memorial, at 1964 Independence Ave., S.W., will feature excerpts of King’s sermons and speeches and include a 30-foot granite sculpture of King. The memorial, which opened to the public Monday, will officially be dedicated at 11 a.m. Sunday.
In response to the eastward moving Hurricane Irene, National Park Service spokesman Bill Line said NPS is monitoring the National Weather Service closely to determine any possible changes, but added that no decisions have been made regarding changes as of Wednesday morning.
“We are paying very close attention to see what develops,” Line said. “But it is way too premature to make any decisions.”
Bowie resident Kevin Greene, 38, is helping promote memorial events at his church, Union Temple Baptist Church in Southeast Washington, where on Saturday civil rights leader the Rev. Al Sharpton will join Union Temple’s pastor, Willie F. Wilson, in leading a one-mile march to the memorial.
“To honor a great man of Dr. King’s stature is a great experience,” Greene said. “I relish in being part of history. Hopefully everyone can get out and really take in this momentous occasion to celebrate this giant of a man who fought for the justice and freedom of people who couldn’t fight for themselves.”
North Brentwood community members are particularly interested in the memorial’s long-term ability to attract crowds as plans continue on the Prince George’s African-American Museum and Cultural Center at North Brentwood.
The $25 million center, which will be built on 2.5 acres, will spotlight the history of blacks in the county and is expected to open in late 2014 or early 2015.
“There can never be too many memorials or places where the treasure chest of African-American culture and history is available for the public to know and learn about,” said Jacqueline Brown, the center’s executive director. “The memorial is just another wonderful movement forward of the lifting up of African-Americans.”
Brown said center planners will have an information booth from today through Sunday at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, 801 Mount Vernon Place, N.W., to help draw attention and members to the project.
“We’re hoping for people to know there’s another African-American museum in town that’s already adding its voice to the marvelous history in the county, Maryland and the nation in general,” Brown said. “We see ourselves as a much larger family that comes together to celebrate shared legacy such as the Martin Luther King memorial dedication.”
Fort Washington resident June White Dillard, former president of the county’s NAACP, said the memorial is extremely important for black residents.
“There is no one else of the stature of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. among any of our leaders, and if there’s anyone that should be there it should be Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,” Dillard said. “Not just for all of his contributions for civil rights, but for justice and peace for everybody. It’s extremely important that he be recognized.”
Former state Sen. Nathaniel Exum (D-Dist. 24) of Capitol Heights said he was in his early 20s when he took part in the 1963 march, but King’s dream has still not yet been fully realized.
“The dream is far from being accomplished,” said Exum, 71. “There has been some progress and improvements, but racism is still pervasive, and we have not been able to use our full potential as African-Americans.”
The staff at Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School in Beltsville has worked for years in support of the memorial by having information, brochures and a replica of the memorial on loan from the National Building Museum, said music teacher J. Otis Harris Jr., 49, in an email to The Gazette.
To help promote the memorial, the school’s students received Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial wristbands with the phrase “Build the Dream” Monday and Tuesday as a reminder of the ceremony, and Harris said he hopes students’ parents will take their children to visit the memorial.
“We are also going to see if we can highlight the upcoming events of the dedication on our website so parents would be encouraged to attend any of the events leading up to the memorial as this will be an historic occasion in many ways,” he said.
Advice for visiting the King Memorial: ‘Use Metro, use Metro and use Metro’
In preparation for the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial dedication Sunday, visitors will have to change their route if they were considering driving to the site.
Beginning at midnight and lasting through Sunday evening, Independence Avenue will be closed in both directions for the dedication ceremony. The memorial is located at 1964 Independence Ave. between the Jefferson and Lincoln memorials. Vehicles will not be able to park on several of the surrounding streets, according to National Park Service spokesman Bill Line, who said the area will be scattered with security.
“The event on Sunday is the highest levels of alert of American government. The Secret Service will be involved; the National Park Service will be involved. It will be a lockdown situation,” he said.
President Obama will deliver remarks at the dedication, and celebrities including Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, George Lucas and Jamie Foxx will also attend. In addition, members of the King family will be present.
The dedication ceremony will begin at 11 a.m., but Line said the area will open up at 6 a.m., and all visitors need to be seated by 10 a.m. Line said there are a limited number of seats and there will be sections for overflow crowds who do not have tickets.
Line said he highly recommends using the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority system for transportation.
“The best transportation alternatives and ideas are to use Metro, use Metro and use Metro. There is no parking,” he said.
Metro is extending rail hours and suggesting alternate routes for when visitors arrive. All stations will open two hours early Sunday, opening at 5 a.m. instead of 7 a.m., according to Metro spokesman Dan Stessel. In addition, Metro plans to run frequent service on all five rail lines, meaning trains will make stops every four minutes on select stations on the red and orange lines and stops every eight to 12 minutes at other stations.
“We’re certainly planning for large crowds. We are ramping up service for the major event,” Stessel said.
Stessel said Metro recommends using the Arlington Cemetery station over Foggy Bottom and the L'Enfant Plaza station instead of the Smithsonian stop, due to its traditionally congested nature.The Arlington Cemetery station is approximately 1.8 miles from the dedication site compared with Foggy Bottom, which is 1.5 miles from the site.
The L’Enfant Plaza station is approximately 0.8 miles from the site compared to the Smithsonian station, which is 0.3 miles from the site. Metro is replacing a major escalator at the Foggy Bottom station, which would also create delays if the station received a high volume of commuters.
In addition to Independence Avenue, surrounding roadways such as 23rd Street, Inlet Bridge and Lincoln Memorial Circle will be closed to all vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians Sunday.
The National Memorial Project Foundation has set up a free shuttle system for visitors looking for an alternative means of transportation, according to Line.
Visitors are able to park their cars or busses at RFK Stadium on Sunday and be shuttled to the MLK Memorial site for free. The shuttle busses will be the only transportation vehicles allowed near the site.
Monday was the memorial’s soft opening, where visitors could see the site without all of the activities. Roads were open and parking was allowed throughout the week. Line said Friday and Saturday the memorial location will close for preparation and set up for the ceremony.
“The National Park Service is extraordinarily happy and proud and at the same time humbled to become the caretakers of this memorial,” he said. “It’s taking its rightful place on the National Mall.”
Tips for a trip to the memorial
The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial dedication ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. Sunday at West Potomac Park. Event organizers predict heavy attendance at all of the dedication events, especially the dedication ceremony. Here are a few suggestions from event organizers and contributors on what to bring:
ź Comfortable shoes. Many of the suggested Metro stations are between six and 11 blocks from the memorial site.
ź Cool, light-colored, casual clothing. The weather forecast calls for highs in the mid-80s.
ź Umbrella or light jacket. The forecast also calls for scattered thunderstorms throughout the weekend, with a 60 percent chance of rain Sunday.
ź Hat or sunglasses.
ź Photo identification. Security checkpoints will be set up around the dedication site.
ź Camera.
ź Food and water. Visitors are permitted to bring their own food and drinks, excluding alcohol.
ź Cash for food, vendors. Kiosks selling light foods and drinks will also be set up around the memorial site.
ź Downloadable Metro map (see http://wmata.com/mlk). Due to the large crowds expected, planning a direct route to the memorial is important.
ź Metro fare cards. Having fare cards on hand will save time from having to go to fare machines at Metro stations.
ź Small bag. Vendors will be present in the surrounding areas selling various souveniers to take home.
ź Hand sanitizer. Portable bathrooms will be set up in designated areas at the memorial site.
Events
Washington, D.C., will host several special public events throughout the weekend to celebrate the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial dedication. The weekend events, including a performance by Beltsville resident Raheem DeVaughn, will lead up to the dedication ceremony of the memorial site on Sunday, when President Barack Obama will delivery keynote remarks. A variety of famous singers, actors and other celebrities, including singers Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin and Jamie Foxx; recording executives Motown Berry Gordy Jr.; and Clarence Avant and director George Lucas will co-chair the dedication.
Schedule of events:
ź “Partners In The Dream”
Attendees can visit information booths, watch performances and be a part of a tribute to the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. at this public expo.
Where: Walter E. Washington Convention Center
801 Mount Vernon Place, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20001
202-249-3000
When: 3 to 8 p.m. Thursday
9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday
2:30 to 6 p.m. Sunday
Cost: Free
ź Kennedy Center celebration
Gospel artist Maggie Ingram and the Ingramettes, a cappella group Naturally 7, R&B singer Raheem DeVaughn and urban jazz harmonicist Frédéric Yonnet will host a free concert honoring the memorial dedication.
Where: John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Concert Hall
2700 F St., N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20566
When: 6 to 7 p.m. Friday
Cost: Free
ź Pre-dedication musical tribute
Attendees can enjoy a free concert that will pay tribute to the life, dream and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. leading up to the dedication ceremony.
Where: West Potomac Park
West Basin Drive, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20024
When: 8:30 to 11 a.m. Sunday
Cost: Free
ź Official dedication ceremony
Visitors are encouraged to attend the official dedication ceremony of the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial.
Where: West Potomac Park
West Basin Drive, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20024
When: 11 a.m. Sunday
Cost: Free
ź Concert on the Mall
A concert will be held on the Mall following the official dedication ceremony featuring various noted artists.
Where: West Potomac Park
West Basin Drive, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20024
When: 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday
Cost: Free
Staff writers Daniel J. Gross, Erich Wagner and Liz Skalski contributed to this report.
Copyright © 2012 Post-Newsweek Media, Inc./Gazette.Net