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Awakening |
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The MLK Memorial in Simsbury Committee To send an e-mail, click => here Our Mission: The mission of the Corporation is to honor the historic presence of the young Martin Luther King Jr. in Simsbury through the permanent physical presence of a sculpture and sanctuary fostering awareness of his living legacy. Vision: As a group of area citizens, we are honored to commemorate the presence of the young Martin Luther King, Jr. as he worked to earn his tuition with other Morehouse College Students in Simsbury during the summers of 1944 and 1947. A statue and sanctuary for reflection, contemplation and illumination, will inform residents and visitors alike, of Simsbury's connection to the young Dr. King's personal history as he continued to develop his view of human nature, of the world and of his emerging place in that world. The ever-present, spiritual commitment of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. , as well as his tough-minded insistence on rational thought, continue to inspire us; his contributions to Civil Rights and to the art of citizenship are a model of courageous love worthy of examination. This is a great American whom we are proud to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. in Simsbury In the summer of 1944, a boy named Michael King traveled from Atlanta with a group of students from Morehouse College to work in the tobacco fields in Simsbury, CT. This was his first exposure to the Northeast and to a society that was not formally segregated and provided a number of interactions with the communities in the Connecticut River Valley. Michael was black and from the segregated south. Those who met him would never imagine that he would become one of the 20th century's most recognized personalities. Michael King Jr. eventually changed his name to Martin Luther King, Jr. and went on to win the Nobel Prize for Peace. Dr. King's writings strongly suggest that his call to the ministry crystallized during his stay in Simsbury working in the tobacco fields. A group of local residents have come together to create a permanent memorial to honor Dr. King and to acknowledge the historic significance of his presence in Simsbury as a young man. Through this memorial, we wish to simultaneously celebrate his connection to Simsbury, his winning the Nobel Prize, and his life's work on behalf of others. The memorial will include a life-size sculpture of Martin Luther King as a fifteen year-old boy. John Noelke, a nationally recognized sculptor, will create it. We believe the sculpture will be a wonderful enhancement to the town, while serving as a place for reflection, contemplation, illumination and inspiration. Our committee welcomes new members who will help make this vision a reality. We are looking for an appropriate site, and will undertake a fundraising campaign to underwrite the project. We hope that you will be willing to work with our committee on this memorial to a truly great American. If you are interested, please use the link to the left to contact us. We on the "Committee" are compiling information about Martin Luther King's (a.k.a. Michael King's) time in Simsbury. While not much survives in document form that directly relates to him and his time in Simsbury, the social environment can be explored through records and publications of the day. Pam McDonald, a Simsbury resident, has done a great deal of research on these issues and her research is highlighted below. The "Committee" has paused a number of times to reflect on the following points:
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