Client

Overview

Pillars of Hope and Justice commemorates the historic visit of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to Fort Wayne in June 1963, where he shared his vision of nonviolent resistance. The monument features the six pillars of nonviolent resistance, evoking both ancient architectural pillars and reeds of papyrus. Each pillar is composed of the words from King’s speech in Fort Wayne. For Dr. King, the six pillars of nonviolent resistance were defined in opposition to the values of Egypt as told in the Exodus story. This form symbolizes the tension between authority and vulnerability, justice and compassion, struggle and shared human frailty.

Goals

The City of Fort Wayne, Indiana sought a public monument commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Fort Wayne visit and subsequent speech on June 5, 1963. The City desired the monument to memorialize King’s dream of racial equality and harmony and celebrating the words he spoke at the Scottish Rite Auditorium. Dr. King visited Fort Wayne on his journey to Washington DC where he would make the historic “I Have a Dream” speech just 2 months later in August of 1963.