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On this day in 1922, the Lincoln Memorial was dedicated in Washington D.C.
May 30
An event every year that begins at 12:00 am on day 30 of May, repeating indefinitely
On this day in 1922, the Lincoln Memorial was dedicated in Washington, D.C. The structure honors our 16th president and his actions to end slavery and preserve the Union.
The 1922 dedication ceremony was attended by such prominent figures as Robert Lincoln (Lincoln’s only surviving son), past president William Howard Taft, and keynote speaker Robert Russa Moton (President of the Tuskegee Institute).
Perhaps unsurprisingly, it did not take long for the Lincoln Memorial to become a national stage for the civil rights movement. Marian Anderson performed there in 1939 after being barred by the Daughters of the American Revolution and several civil rights marches (including the 1963 March on Washington and Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech) were conducted there.
Did you know? The Lincoln Memorial was built using stone from all over the country, including Indiana limestone, Massachusetts granite, and Georgia marble. The stones symbolize the reunification of the states under Lincoln’s presidency.
Sculptor David Chester French spent years researching Lincoln while preparing his final design. He was most struck by Lincoln’s simultaneous strength and compassion. One way he depicted these features was Lincoln’s hands: one is clenched in determination, the other open and relaxed. 👊🤚
The Lincoln Memorial through the Cherry Blossoms, Washington D.C., The Washington News Company, c. 1930-1945 🌸🌸🌸
