Thousands from around the nation flocked to Washington D.C. to honor and celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. during a dedication and unveiling of a new memorial this weekend. But many were let down when Hurricane Irene barreled into town forcing officials to cancel festivities.
According to the Associated Press, the free dedication ceremony has been postponed from Sunday 11 a.m. at West Potomac Park to September or October because of Hurricane Irene– The original date was significant as it was the 48th anniversary of his “I Have a Dream” speech.
Among those planned to celebrate the King, was President Obama, who planned to speak. Other planned attendees included singers, Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder, filmmaker George Lucas and actor Jamie Foxx, as well as members of the King family, and prominent civil rights leaders.
Special dedication events were also planned to take place from August 24 to 28 including an International Salute Gala Dinner, a civil rights pioneers luncheon and a Concert on the Mall at West Potomac Park, but only some actually took place.
CNN reported, The memorial site, which features a striking 30-foot statue of King gazing out on the iconic Tidal Basin, lies between the Lincoln Memorial and the Thomas Jefferson Memorial on the National Mall.
