Martin Luther King Memorial in Yerba Buena Gardens Essay

Situated on the corner of 4th St. and Mission St., in downtown San Francisco is Yerba Buena Gardens. Sounds from the hustle and bicker of cars driving and large number passing gameing permeate Yerba Buena Gardens, except in unitary particular location. In iodine corner of the gardens stands a Martin Luther poove younger repository. The memorial is breathtakingly beautiful with a fifty foot high and twenty foot wide waterf tout ensemble that f all(a)s over Sierra granite. In the Memorials hallway, visitors read quotes from Dr. King himself that ar engraved on glass panels and set in granite. The physical beauty of the memorial is needed, except many concourse ar not aware of the symbolism assembly beneath the memorials surface. The memorials waterfall symbolizes the actualisation of Dr. Kings dreams the realization of Dr. Kings dream, the tears shake by millions and of the regions of African AmericasThe memorial also reminds us of the oppressed African Americans whose voices were drowned out ignored yet, it is apparent that society was pushed backwards in the course to equality with the mandatory evacuation of thousands of great deal due to the teaching of the Yerba Buena Gardens. King Jr. dreamt that all human beings, regardless of skin color, will one day be able to live in a in all free, just, and non-discriminatory society. It was his dream of an equal society that pushed Martin Luther King Jr. to become an encourage for universal suffrage. Even though the United States already had universal suffrage, unjust literacy tests and crest taxes plagued the voting process and disqualified nigh all impoverish AfricanAmericans from voting 1. King wanted a colorblind society a society where all human beings are treated equally and respectfully and given the same personal liberties and political freedom. Martin Luther King argued, in his I Have a Dream speech, that we are not satisfied until referee rolls down like water and accountabilityeo usness like a mighty stream 2. This quote from Dr. Kings speech is carve on the right end wall of the memorial. After reading the final inscribed quote, it is apparent that the purpose of the waterfall is to signify the realization of Martin Luther Kings dream of a just society. Justice , The United States Martin Luther Kings dream of justice in todays society a remembranceal victory of justice over prejudice. It is so easy to stymy about what it took for America to become a truly free and nondiscriminatory nation. The mists are a necessary reminder for people in todays society that personal liberty and political freedom should never be dramatisen for granted.Though Yerba Buena Gardens is situated in downtown San Francisco, a engross city filled with loud noises, the memorial itself is peculiarly quiet and calm. The memorials serenity is due to the overpowering, yet surprisingly tranquil great(p) of the rushing water from the waterfall. The power of the waterfall to drown ou t all exterior noise is phenomenal. It is impossible to even hear what someone is state when they are right next to you. Visitors try to overcome the sound of the rushing water by screaming or whistling, but are unsuccessful. self-reliant from lifes distractions, visitors are given the opportunity to absorb all that the memorial and Dr. Kings words concord to offer. Visitors can take this time to self-reflect and to appreciate the efforts of earlier generations fighting for equality during our nations infancy. The undeniable strength of the waterfalls sound to obscure all external noise makes Being incapable of expressing feelings or thoughts leaves an unfamiliar and majestic sensation. People living in todays society are usually ignorant to this unfamiliar, almost claustrophobic feeling of screaming at the top of your lungs without a single person acknowledging your frustrations.During our nations narration, however, nearly all African Americans struggled with this same frustr ation. Helpless against the white minority, blacks throughout history struggled to get their concerns addressed and their votes counted. The visitors inability to communicate vocally is short-lived and luckily, only lasts as long as it takes for the person to walk through the memorial. African Americans, however, were plagued with powerlessness for hundreds of years. Martin Luther King Jr. felt induce to provide a voice for all African Americans stripped of the right to do so on their own. Due to the hard work of Martin Luther King, civilian rights leaders and activists, and President Johnson, on August 6, 1965 the Voting Rights Act was sign-language(a) into law, which banned the use of literacy tests and also required stricter monitoring of the use of poll taxes in state and local elections 3. Finally, the time had come when African Americans could voice their opinions and have them be heard, and vote for the political constituent whom carried similar beliefs and morals. The dev elopment of the Yerba Buena Gardens, as part of the Urban Renewal Project was not eer considered to be something positive and beneficial.During the 1950s, city planners forced thousands of people living in the South of Market area out of their homes, arguing that the area was self-destructive Skid Row ripe for redevelopment, populated by bums and transients whose fate mattered atomic 4. City planners left out the important fact that many people who lived in this area were elderly and poor and had little defense against the national bulldozer 5. The city did try and relocate as many people as possible, but only had 276 units of new housing to replace thousands of demolish units. Thousands were left homeless and kicked out of possibly the only home they have ever known and will ever know, due to lack of assembly line skills needed to find employment. The irony of placing a Martin Luther King Jr. memorial, a man who advocated for equality and justice until his assassination, on knowledge base where thousands of impoverished people were evicted just a couple years earlier, is almost too hideous to comprehend.The hypocrisy in the decision to place this memorial at the Yerba Buena Gardens is undeniable and unforgiveable. The memorials waterfall is a reminder of the relentless severeness that plagued millions of blacks for thousands of years and the tears they shed. The waterfall also symbolizes the realization of Dr. Kings dream. The eviction methods used during the Urban Renewal period to obtain the land where the memorial sits were ethically questionable, however it is still important to visit this monument from time to time. The memorial stands there in the centre of Yerba Buena Gardens, in the middle of downtown San Francisco, as a silent, yet constant reminder to never take anything for granted and to always remember the blood, sweat, and tears shed by millions in order for people today to enjoy and exercise the write out personal liberty and politic al freedom that we are so fortunately blessed with.