Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Monument

The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Monument was erected by the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Association of Westfield to honor Dr. King. This monument was dedicated on June 19, 2005 (“Juneteenth”) in a public celebration and now serves as a place of quiet reflection, as a rallying point for peaceful demonstrations, memorials, and vigils, and as the starting location of the march to the annual commemorative MLK Day service on the third Monday in January of every year.

The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Monument was funded by the members of the Dr. King Association of Westfield, interested citizens, and The Westfield Foundation. The site for the monument was provided by the Town of Westfield.

The plaque reads: 

We Are Living the Dream

The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Association of Westfield and the Town of Westfield honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., 1929 - 1968. He dedicated his life to the ongoing struggle for racial, social and economic justice through passive resistance and non-violent action. We find it fitting that Dr. King be paid lasting homage so that his life and work may continue not only to inspire us today, but for generations to come. In grateful appreciation, we dedicate this monument on this 19th day of June 2005. His dream lives on.

The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Association of Westfield was established in the summer of 1987, when the seed of celebrating the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. germinated in the minds of five people — Rev. Theodore Calhoun, the late Rev. Miles Austin, the late Mrs. Dorothy Kirkley, Ms. Patricia Faggins, and Mr. Tyrone Laws. They were motivated to action and pooled their efforts to present the first community-wide interfaith observance of the birthday of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at Bethel Baptist Church. From that time, the annual service has continued as a community celebration, is attended by hundreds each year, and is now hosted by a different Westfield house of worship annually. 

Throughout these years, the Dr. King Association has worked within Westfield to keep the spirit of Dr. King alive, including organizing a town-wide Community Discussion on Race in 2016, awarding scholarships to college-bound African American students each year, holding an annual essay, art, and poetry contest in the local schools, and hosting many vigils and memorials at the monument in response to events and to continue the struggle for racial, social, and economic justice that was started by Dr. King. 

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Association of Westfield Archives.