By Harry E. Johnson
President and CEO
Washington, DC Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation, Inc.

(BLACK PR WIRE) When the Washington, DC Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation first sent out our design competition packages to well over 2500 entrants, we received 1700 submissions from over 52 countries. Students, artists, architects and individuals submitted their ideas about what the Memorial honoring the life and legacy of Dr. King, should look like.

With the support from not just those in this country but from the broad base of those around the world who supported Dr. King's vision, this Memorial took on an international appeal. We are proud that Dr. King's message of Democracy, Justice, Hope and Love transcended not only racial barriers but also international barriers.

When we selected the team to build this Memorial we were proud it reflected such a diverse group of individuals and companies. Those selected include women and minority-owned businesses, union and non-union workers as well as a small team of artisans from China.

We are proud of the fact that we have been inclusive of workers from all walks of life-- as Dr. King would have wanted in espousing his message of not judging a person by the color of their skin…but by the content of their character. While 95% of the work is being done by American workers, we strongly believe that we should not exclude anyone from working on this project simply because of their religious beliefs, social background or country of origin.

We believe also that this should be the Memorial that the people truly built. Therefore, we have solicited donations not just from corporations but indeed from everyday people who believed in a man who had a vision for justice and equality for all.

I call upon all who believe as I do that while we would like to claim Dr. King as the prized possession of the African American community, or a prized possession of the United States….he was much more, he belongs to the world. This fact could not be more evident than Dr. King's acceptance of the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, Norway in 1964.

America is a better place, indeed the world is a better place because of the vision of this one man.

When the memorial is completed by workers of all genders, hues and religious beliefs, people from all over the world will visit it with pride knowing that Dr. King’s vision included all people.

Memorial Website: www.buildthedream.org