''Behold'' is a

statue A statue is a free-standing sculpture in which the realistic, full-length figures of persons or animals are carved or cast in a durable material such as wood, metal or stone. Typical statues are life-sized or close to life-size; a sculpture t ...

Coretta Scott King Coretta Scott King ( Scott; April 27, 1927 – January 30, 2006) was an American author, activist, and civil rights leader who was married to Martin Luther King Jr. from 1953 until his death. As an advocate for African-American equality, she w ...

, the statue is located in front of

Ebenezer Baptist Church Ebenezer Baptist Church is a Baptist church located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, affiliated with the Progressive National Baptist Convention and American Baptist Churches USA. It was the church where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was co-past ...

, in the

Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park The Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park covers about 35 acres (0.14 km2) and includes several sites in Atlanta, Georgia related to the life and work of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. Within the park is his boyhood h ...

History

The statue was dedicated on January 11, 1990, by

, the widowed wife of

Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. (born Michael King Jr.; January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister and activist, one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968 ...

The statue was an unsolicited gift to

The King Center The Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, commonly known as The King Center, is a nongovernmental, not-for-profit organization in Atlanta, United States. History The center was founded in 1968 by Coretta Scott King, who sta ...

, and initially the center had concerns over the work's

artistic merit Artistic merit is the artistic quality or value of any given work of art, music, film, literature, sculpture or painting. Obscenity and literary merit The 1921 US trial of James Joyce's novel ''Ulysses'' concerned the publication of the ''Nausi ...

. The piece is located in a small park near

. The statue is based on an African ritual of lifting a newborn to the skies. It depicts an allegorical figure of

Kunta Kinte Kunta Kinte ( – ; ) is a character in the 1976 novel '' Roots: The Saga of an American Family'' by American author Alex Haley. Kunta Kinte was based on one of Haley's ancestors, a Gambian man who was born around 1750, enslaved, and taken to ...

lifting his newborn towards the sky. The statue is a popular spot for photographers. The statue itself is made of bronze, with a granite pedestal inscribed with the phrase:

Second casting

A second casting of ''Behold'' is located at

Essex County College Essex County College (ECC) is a public community college in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. History In August 1966, the Essex County Board of Freeholders approved the creation of Essex County College and in September 1968, more than a ...

Newark, New Jersey Newark ( , ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the seat of Essex County and the second largest city within the New York metropolitan area.New Jersey Department of State The secretary of state of New Jersey oversees the Department of State, which is one of the original state offices. The Secretary is responsible for overseeing artistic, cultural, and historical programs within the U.S. state of New Jersey, as we ...

). It was dedicated in a ceremony led by

Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...

Sharpe James Sharpe James (born February 20, 1936) is an American Democratic politician from New Jersey, who served as State Senator for the 29th Legislative District and was 37th Mayor of Newark, New Jersey. James was the second African American Mayor of N ...

in 1990.

References

External links

* {{Roots 1990 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state) 1990 sculptures Bronze sculptures in Georgia (U.S. state) Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site and Preservation District Memorials to Martin Luther King Jr. Monuments and memorials in Georgia (U.S. state) Outdoor sculptures in Georgia (U.S. state) Roots: The Saga of an American Family Statues in Atlanta Sculptures of African Americans Statues of fictional characters Sculptures of children in the United States Sculptures of men in Georgia Public art in Newark, New Jersey

History

Second casting

See also

References

External links