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MLK statue comes to GA Capitol Monday on poignant anniversary

Sculptor Martin Dawe in front of a maquette, or model, and a wall of pictures he used to create the likeness of Martin Luther King Jr. in his studio. The statue will be unveiled on the grounds of the state Capitol Monday. HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

Credit: Hyosub Shin

Credit: Hyosub Shin

Sculptor Martin Dawe in front of a maquette, or model, and a wall of pictures he used to create the likeness of Martin Luther King Jr. in his studio. The statue will be unveiled on the grounds of the state Capitol Monday. HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM
By Rosalind Bentley
Aug 28, 2017

After a three-year wait, the 8-foot-bronze statue of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was unveiled at the Georgia Capitol at 10 a.m. Monday.

The sculpture is from at least two blocks away, along the boulevard named for the civil rights icon.

“He’s gazing slightly toward MLK Boulevard,” said sculptor Martin Dawe. “You make people smile not by the mouth but by the eyes, so I have a slight glimmer that I hope comes through.”

Martin Dawe, sculptor and owner of Cherrylion Studios, was selected earlier this summer to design the statue that will be unveiled on Monday Aug. 28. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)

Dawe said the statue’s placement as well as the timing of the dedication raised the stakes for him.

To find out why and  to read how Dawe used video to perfect King's likeness, click here.

For the latest, follow AJC Politically Georgia on Facebook or @GAPoliticsNews on Twitter.

Watch the unveiling ceremony below:

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About the Author

Rosalind Bentley is an award-winning feature writer focusing on culture, arts and sometimes food, as they are expressed and experienced in Atlanta. She is a two-time James Beard Award finalist and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.

Follow Rosalind Bentley on twitter
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