CONCLUSION
What
were the characteristics of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. that made
him an
effective leader? How were those characteristics affected
by the events of the times in
which he lived? How did his
leadership characteristics influence the decisions he made?
Did
he lead his followers or follow their will? What methods did he
use to influence the
people and events of his times?
Hopefully, you have found the answers to these important questions about the life of
this great leader through your research and activities completed for this webquest. As
others think about the
answers to these questions, perhaps it will help them to see that
building this memorial is a worthy cause. Dr. King gave his life
to make our country a
better place in which to live. You should feel
proud of what you have accomplished in
this webquest. Your
creations are a reminder of just how much Dr. King impacted the
lives
of people in this nation and how he continues to do so long after his death. Maybe
they will also inspire someone to reach into their wallets to help provide the money needed
to make this memorial a reality.
“We now have an opportunity to break the trend of
memorials to war and erect a monument which
delivers a message of lifelong peace
in our land. A memorial which embodies not just the image of
Dr. King, but the
image of America, which is often called the melting pot of the world.”
-John Carter
Senate subcommittee testimony (excerpt)
March 24, 1998
"Please know this, the memorial to
Martin will send a message to the world that this country is a place
of
inclusion, rather than exclusion. This memorial will serve as a place of peace
and reflection. It will
embody the spirit of the man and the people he came to
lead."
-Mrs. Coretta Scott King