Photos: Timeline of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial

Steps it took to take the memorial from dream to reality.

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Aug. 28, 1963 - It was almost 48 years ago that Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his seminal “I Have a Dream” speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on Aug. 28, 1963. Now, the man most closely linked with the civil rights movement has his own memorial on the National Mall. Standing about 30-feet tall, the granite sculpture dominates the location. Quotes from Dr. King's sermons and speeches are inscribed on the smooth surfaces of the inscription wall. The memorial has cost $120 million to build and will be a lasting testament to how far America and Blacks have come in the civil rights struggle and the journey ahead.

Photo By Landov

Jan. 29, 1929 - Martin Luther King, Jr. (originally named Michael King) is born in Atlanta, Georgia.

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Jan. 29, 1929 - Martin Luther King, Jr. (originally named Michael King) is born in Atlanta, Georgia.

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April 4, 1968 - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is assassinated at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee.

January  1984  - George Sealey is the catalyst for convening Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity brothers Alfred Bailey, Oscar Little, Eddie Madison, and John Harvey  to propose building a national memorial to Dr. King  Their proposal is presented at the fraternity's Board of Director's meeting, under the administration of General President Ozell Sutton. (Photo: Alpha Phi Alpha)

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January  1984 - George Sealey is the catalyst for convening Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity brothers Alfred Bailey, Oscar Little, Eddie Madison, and John Harvey  to propose building a national memorial to Dr. King  Their proposal is presented at the fraternity's Board of Director's meeting, under the administration of General President Ozell Sutton. (Photo: Alpha Phi Alpha)

November 1996  - President Bill Clinton signs legislation proposing the establishment of a memorial in Washington DC to honor Dr. King.(Photo: White House/Getty Images)

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November 1996 - President Bill Clinton signs legislation proposing the establishment of a memorial in Washington DC to honor Dr. King.(Photo: White House/Getty Images)

Photo By Photo: White House/Getty Images

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January 1998  - The National Capital Memorial Commission votes to recommend the proposed King memorial. In March, Coretta Scott King agrees to serve as chairperson of the project’s Honorary Committee and Executive Leadership Council.(Photo: Erik S. Lesser/Getty Images)

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January 1998 - The National Capital Memorial Commission votes to recommend the proposed King memorial. In March, Coretta Scott King agrees to serve as chairperson of the project’s Honorary Committee and Executive Leadership Council.(Photo: Erik S. Lesser/Getty Images)

March 1998 - John Carter testifies before a Senate subcommittee, which oversees memorials in Washington DC, saying “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.”(Photo: Courtesy John Carter)

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March 1998 - John Carter testifies before a Senate subcommittee, which oversees memorials in Washington DC, saying “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.”(Photo: Courtesy John Carter)

Washington, D.C. - The nation’s capital came out on top in last month’s ranking using a 745,598,550 kWh of green energy annually. They get their green energy from various sources including, Washington Gas Energy Services, Constellation New Energy (a holding company for energy businesses) and Clean Currents (an independent green energy company). The city just became a Green Power Community in March 2011. (Photo:  Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

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May 1998 - Congress approves the charter for the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation, Inc. (Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

The Purpose of Government - A Gallup poll published Sept. 28 found that Americans are divided over what role government should play. Thirty-five percent prefer an activist government that tries to improve citizens’ lives and 37 percent say government should provide basic government functions.(Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

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June 1998 - House Joint Resolution 113 is passed by the House of Representatives, giving the project Area 1 status. Three days later, the U.S. Senate passes its version of the resolution.(Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

February 1999 -  A poster announcing the design competition is prepared and distributed internationally to all schools of architecture, professional architecture firms, designers and artists.(Photo: Stefan Zaklin/Getty Images)

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February 1999 - A poster announcing the design competition is prepared and distributed internationally to all schools of architecture, professional architecture firms, designers and artists.(Photo: Stefan Zaklin/Getty Images)

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December 1999 - After some controversy about the location of the memorial, the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) rescinds an earlier vote placing the memorial at the east end of Constitution Gardens and approves a four-acre site adjacent to the Tidal Basin.(Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

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December 1999 - After some controversy about the location of the memorial, the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) rescinds an earlier vote placing the memorial at the east end of Constitution Gardens and approves a four-acre site adjacent to the Tidal Basin.(Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

September 2000  - The entry submitted by ROMA Design Group of San Francisco, California, was selected as the winning design. On April 18, 2002, the Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) approves the design for the memorial.(Photo: Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images)

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September 2000 - The entry submitted by ROMA Design Group of San Francisco, California, was selected as the winning design. On April 18, 2002, the Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) approves the design for the memorial.(Photo: Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images)

December 2005 - The NCPC unanimously approves the preliminary design for the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial. Four months later, the NCPC agrees to grant the foundation approval to proceed with the final design phase of the project.(Photo: Courtesy Interface Multimedia)

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December 2005 - The NCPC unanimously approves the preliminary design for the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial. Four months later, the NCPC agrees to grant the foundation approval to proceed with the final design phase of the project.(Photo: Courtesy Interface Multimedia)

Extra Cash - You never know if you need to tip a bartender, vendor or a driver when all is said and done. Or you might want to duck out and get food in the middle of the night, so make sure you have some cash around. (Photo: Glen Argov /Landov)

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May 2006 - BET Networks commits a $250,000 multi-year gift to Dr. King's memorial. In addition, millions of dollars from other corporate sponsors, faith-based organizations and philanthropic agencies are donated throughout the construction process.(Photo: Glen Argov /Landov)

February 2007 - The Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation announces the selected quotations from Dr. King's writing, sermons and speeches to be engraved onto the memorial wall. The foundation also announces Master Lei Yixin (pictured) as the sculptor who will carve the image of Dr. King into the Stone of Hope. There is some controversy over the foundation's decision to select the Chinese artist.(Photo: LIU JIN/AFP/Getty Images)

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February 2007 - The Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation announces the selected quotations from Dr. King's writing, sermons and speeches to be engraved onto the memorial wall. The foundation also announces Master Lei Yixin (pictured) as the sculptor who will carve the image of Dr. King into the Stone of Hope. There is some controversy over the foundation's decision to select the Chinese artist.(Photo: LIU JIN/AFP/Getty Images)

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July 2008 -  Celebrities such as Aretha Franklin, Samuel L. Jackson, and Steve Harvey bring their star power for Clear Channel Radio's "Build The Dream" Radiothon that is broadcast to 38 radio stations around the nation. (Photo: REUTERS/Mike Segar/Landov)

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July 2008 - Celebrities such as Aretha Franklin, Samuel L. Jackson, and Steve Harvey bring their star power for Clear Channel Radio's "Build The Dream" Radiothon that is broadcast to 38 radio stations around the nation. (Photo: REUTERS/Mike Segar/Landov)

August 2008 - Verizon begins the first phase of construction preparation for the memorial, just days before the 45th anniversary of the March on Washington.  In October, the foundation submits a request for a construction permit to the National Park Service. (Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

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August 2008 - Verizon begins the first phase of construction preparation for the memorial, just days before the 45th anniversary of the March on Washington.  In October, the foundation submits a request for a construction permit to the National Park Service. (Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

October 2010 - Bernice King and Martin Luther King, III, children of the late Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., visit the memorial site in Washington, D.C.(Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

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October 2010 - Bernice King and Martin Luther King, III, children of the late Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., visit the memorial site in Washington, D.C.(Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. inspired the world to embrace racial equality through nonviolent action. As we honor the contributions of the late civil rights icon during the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, take a look at how artists have interpreted King’s message of peace.—Britt Middleton  - Perhaps the most famous of all artistic interpretations of King is his likeness etched into stone at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial in Washington, D.C.(Photo: Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

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May 2011 - The Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Foundation announces that, after nearly 30 years after its inception, the completed memorial will be unveiled to the public on Aug. 28.  (Photo: Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post via Getty Images)