Designing King's Massive Memorial

Chinese sculptor Lei Yixin and executive architect Ed Jackson Jr. went head-to-head over the 30-foot sculpture at the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial in Washington DC. How could they create a monument that suggested strength and authority without appearing confrontational? With so many revisions, it's no wonder that the memorial took more than a decade to build.

The Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial in Washington DC is now open to the public. The official dedication ceremony has been postponed due to Hurricane Irene.

More Memorials for Martin Luther King, Jr.:

• Martin Luther King Memorial in Seattle, Washington
• Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site in Atlanta, Georgia

^{Above: Detail of the Martin Luther King sculpture at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial on the National Mall in Washington DC. Photo © Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images}