Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Restoration Project

Preserving Columbia's Tribute

The Memorial was a public/private partnership funded through private donations totaling over $55,000. Over 500 Columbia residents, including children, donated to make the Memorial a reality. In addition, the City of Columbia provided the land and staff support for project coordination and site preparation.

Since the Memorial was constructed, it had experienced a great deal of water damage to the face of the blue tiles making up the steps of the amphitheater, a focal point of the site. Regular cleanings were not been sufficient to solve the problem.

Although the City of Columbia is committed to repairing the Memorial, funding for the project was not available. The city began in earnest to solve the problems of the site in 1999 by having a basic site assessment conducted by professionals who work with outdoor sculpture. In 2001, a conservation service completed extensive study and testing at the Memorial to determine the problem and how it can be repaired. The city received a detailed report in early 2002 on the cause of the damage and recommended solutions, with costs to permanently repair the Memorial estimated at $55,000 to $80,000. The city of Columbia has currently budgeted $10,000 toward these repairs.

Goal: The goal of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Restoration Project was to repair the site and provide for future maintenance. Funds remaining after the initial repair will be placed in an endowment, overseen by the New Century Fund, Inc., to provide for future maintenance. Just as the project was created through a partnership between citizens and local government, it will take the work of both to meet this goal. The project represents our community's commitment to honor Dr. King and ensures that future generations will be touched by his legacy.

Under the leadership of Eliot Battle and Susan Stalcup Gray and a committee of 20 citizens, funds were raised in 2003 to restore the Memorial. In addition, the project received a $98,000 "Save America's Treasures" grant that provided additional improvements to the adjacent park area. The Memorial was rededicated in August 2006.