The city of Cincinnati is inviting residents to share their thoughts on the design of a new Martin Luther King Jr. memorial.
The memorial, which is slated for completion in August 2023, will be located at the northeast corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive East and Reading Road in Avondale. The completion date will coincide with the 60th anniversary of King's "I Have a Dream" speech.
The city set aside $1 million to create the memorial to King in 2021. According to the city of Cincinnati's website, the "permanent outdoor work of public art will honor the life, teachings, aspirations and legacy of the civil rights icon."
In August 2021, the city issued a call for artists to submit their designs for the Avondale memorial. From the initial pool of 28 artists who submitted their proposals, seven artists or groups have been chosen as semi-finalists.
As the seven remaining artists craft their final designs for the memorial, the city is asking Cincinnati residents to complete a short online survey to help the artists get a better sense of what the public would like to see in the memorial to King.
For example, the survey asks residents to reflect on the impact that King had in the Cincinnati area and the other historical aspects of Avondale's past that should be reflected in the memorial. On the more practical side of things, the survey also asks residents what sort of amenities and features the memorial should have — such as benches, a souvenir shop or an amphitheater.
The survey is an important tool for the artists, given that they must show how they have "incorporated community input into their design proposal," according to the city of Cincinnati's website.
The seven semi-finalists will be turning in their final design proposals to the city in June 2022. The winning artist or group will be announced at some point during the summer of 2022.
Get more information about the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial or complete the survey at cincinnati-oh.gov.
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