Martin Luther King statue unveiled at Newcastle University
Dr King visited the university in 1967 to accept an honorary degree.
A statue of Martin Luther King has been unveiled at Newcastle University by a friend of his that joined the civil rights leader on a visit to the city 50 years ago.
The two metre tall bronze statue was commissioned to mark the anniversary of Dr King’s trip to the university to accept an honorary degree.
It was unveiled by Andrew Young, a close friend and colleague of Dr King’s, who served as a congressman and then as the US Ambassador to the United Nations.
It would turn out to be Dr King’s last public address outside the US, as he was assassinated six months later.
“Sadly, the challenges of racism, poverty and war are still relevant to this day. Having a statue of such an inspirational figure as Dr King on our campus will remind all visitors to the university of our commitment to social justice and the need to keep Dr King’s legacy alive.”
Sculptor Nigel Boonham said: “It was a privilege to be asked to make a statue of Dr Martin Luther King Jr – he is a gift to a sculptor.
“I searched for the essence of the man by collecting and studying over 100 black and white photographs as well as listening to his speeches.”
