Lincoln Memorial
By Jessica Penry And Arina Golikova
Description of Place
The Lincoln Memorial is an American national monument built for Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States. The building is in the form of a Greek Doric temple and contains a large seated sculpture of Abraham Lincoln. It is located on the Washington Mall in Washington D.C. The building itself was designed by Henry Bacon, a famous architect during the time. The memorial has been the site of many famous speeches.
History of Place
The Lincoln Memorial was built in 1914 and took 8 years to complete. The final product includes a statue of Abraham Lincoln. Also, engravings of two famous speeches by Lincoln, “The Gettysburg Address” and his “Second Inaugural Address”. The final cost of the memorial was $3 million.
Events or Trends
The front of the memorial is often used as a gathering place for protests, political rallies, and speeches. One important protest was the “Prayer Pilgrimage for Freedom” was a protest in Washington, DC on May 17, 1957. It was part of the African-American Civil Rights Movement, in which Martin Luther King Jr. gives his , “Give Us the Ballot”, speech. One famous speech was Martin Luther king Jr.'s , “I Have a Dream” speech. He protested to get equal rights for African Americans at the Lincoln Memorial and had 250,000 civil rights supporters to hear his speech. The speeches are very important to the community because they help to fight against laws that aren't fair.
Association with Individuals Who Made a Lasting Contribution
The memorial is dedicated for Abraham Lincoln who was the 16th president in the united states and a big part of the american civil rights movement. He is also known as the “Great Emancipator”. In 1963, on the 100th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech at the Lincoln Memorial in front of 200,000 people.Marian Anderson, a famous African American singer with the support of first lady, Eleanor Roosevelt, was allowed by the Department of the Interior to perform at the Lincoln Memorial in 1939.
Architectural Merit
The Lincoln memorial was designed by Henry Bacon and made in the style of a Greek Doric temple. The building itself has 36 columns and 48 stone festoons. The festoons, on the attic above the 36 columns, represent the 48 states in 1922. The interior has a 19-foot statue of Lincoln made of Georgia white marble. the statue stands on a pedestal of Tennessee marble. The large statue was designed by Daniel Chester French and carved by the Piccirilli brothers. Engraved behind the statue are two of Abrham Lincoln’s most famous speeches, “The Gettysburg Address” and the“Second Inaugural Address”. This memorial is a representation of the different cultures and building styles in america. It also enriches the community.