Martin Luther King III to visit Fort Wayne for MLK monument dedication
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FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WPTA) - The City of Fort Wayne and the Fort Wayne Public Art Commission announced Wednesday plans for the dedication of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Monument on West Berry Street.
A resolution sponsored by Fort Wayne City Council members Michelle Chambers (D) and Russ Jehl (R) passed back in February 2020 to “initiate a process for the creation of a public display commemorating the words and visit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to Fort Wayne in 1963.”
The dedication for the monument is set for June 5, and King’s son, Martin Luther King III, will be in Fort Wayne for the event, nearly 60 years after his father’s visit to the Summit City.
Rev. Bill McGill is set to recite the speech MLK Jr. gave during his visit to Fort Wayne back in 1963.
The monument is named “Pillars of Hope and Justice,” on the corner of West Main and Ewing Streets. It has been in the works since 2020, and it is set to be completed later this month.
The ceremony will begin at 6 p.m. on June 5.
Following the dedication ceremony, a celebration will be held at 7 p.m. at the University of Saint Francis’ Robert Goldstine Performing Arts Center downtown.
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