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Rep. Smyre, leader of MLK statue project, ‘thrilled’ for unveiling in Atlanta
For three years, State Rep. Calvin Smyre worked on plans for a statue of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. to be erected at the Georgia State Capitol.
He faced many hurdles along the way, including the death of a sculptor. But through it all, he always believed the statue would soon become a reality. Now, the day has finally come.
At 10 a.m. Monday, Gov. Nathan Deal and his wife, Sandra, will unveil the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Statue in commemoration of the 54th Anniversary of King’s historic “I Have a Dream” speech. Other confirmed participants will include Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, Speaker David Ralston and representatives from the King family.
“I’m thrilled and I’m happy to have played a role in getting us to this juncture and I’m looking forward to the unveiling,” Smyre said Sunday in an interview with the Ledger-Enquirer. “King was a man who was known throughout the world. And as a native son, he inspired a nation and world with his message and vision of peace and nonviolence.”
The statue is a bronze, 8-foot-tall figure, standing on a 36” pedestal made of Georgia granite. Smyre said he believes it will be a beacon of hope for the world.
“We have a birthday recognition of Dr. King and his works, his legacy and his life,” he said. “We have a statue in our nation’s capital memorializing Dr. King. So I think it’s more than fitting to have a statue on the capitol grounds of one of the most known native Georgians in the world.”
The historic project began in April of 2014 when Deal signed a bill authorizing placement of a statue honoring King at the state capitol.
In March of 2015, the governor signed an executive order appointing Smyre as the chief liaison for fund-raising efforts to create and erect the statue. Smyre’s duties included serving as the liaison between the state, the King Estate, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Advisory Council and the Georgia Arts Standards Commission.
“I’ve known the Kings for a long time,” said Smyre. “I served as chair of the Martin Luther King Jr. State Holiday Commission that existed for a long time, and I worked side by side with Coretta Scott King in establishing the state holiday for Dr. King. And so, when the Governor asked me to serve in this role, I quickly said ‘yes.’ And it’s been a rewarding experience to be involved these past three years working with our entire statue team.”
But it wasn’t an easy road, Smyre said. The first sculptor, Andy Davis, died 13 days after being selected due to injuries incurred when a pick-up truck struck his motorcycle.
Following his death, the committee conducted a public search and received 22 applications from five different states. In June of 2016, Deal and the Capitol Arts Standards Selection Committee announced the selection of Atlanta-based sculptor Martin Dawe for the project.
“I talked with Martin on yesterday and I have had a chance to see the statue,” Smyre said on Sunday. “I’m truly impressed with it and I’m really looking forward to the unveiling.”
Smyre said King is well-deserving of the recognition and he’s glad to see the statue finally become a reality.
“Now, we’ll have two individuals from Georgia with Nobel Peace prizes on the state capitol grounds — President Carter and now Martin Luther King,” he said. “I do think this will be a great day in the history of our state and our nation. The King statue, in my opinion, will inspire and give hope to generations to come.”
Alva James-Johnson: 706-571-8521, @amjreporter
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