Washington DC is a place where history can be made every day, a place dreams are made of; dreams that one day a little boy or girl can grow up and make decisions that will one day change the world. It is a place where whichever way you walk; you can literally stroll through history. This month, for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the Multicultural Student Center hosted a day and a half trip to Washington DC, open to all Ashland students. The purpose of the trip was to see the new Martin Luther King Jr. memorial that was opened to the public Aug. 22, 2011. The granite, 30-foot statue is located near the Jefferson and Roosevelt memorials in West Potomac Park.

The trip was a chance to learn and enjoy the sites.

“The weather in DC was absolutely beautiful,” Mick Steiner, resident director, said, “and the warm sun provided a perfect background for a day of learning and understanding.”

While there is much to see in Washington DC and it’s impossible to see all in one day, Steiner took the opportunity to see a first.

“I…enjoyed visiting the Capitol building for the first time,” he said.

This statue is a dream come true for millions of Americans who faced the injustice of the times and it is well deserved; Dr. King not only set a path for the future but he also showed how one should never give up even when the world is against you. Even though hatred, racism and intolerance are still alive today, Dr. King gave people hope that to try and change the world and make it a better place if we all work together. This memorial has the potential to impact everyone who sees it.

“It was emotional to look around at people’s faces while reading the quotes,” Steiner said. “It was clear that many took great pride in the good work of Martin Luther King and many have waited a long time for this memorial to become a reality.”

Dr. King has changed millions of lives not only by his actions but also by the words that came out of his mouth. His words were words of peace, hope and motivation. His words were like a forest fire blazing a path of freedom calling for action against injustices that were happening all over the country. His words still have a huge impact on us today. Unfortunately, the memorial has misinterpreted one of his famous quotes. “I was a drum major for justice, peace and righteousness,” the memorial says, making Dr. King sound rather vain. This quote is actually smaller portion of the actual quote that he had said. Advocates have complained and the government has agreed to fix the statue by a set date. The real quote states: “If you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice. Say that I was a drum major for peace. I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter.”

If students are left wishing they had gone on the trip, they may get another opportunity next year.

“We have been getting great feedback from it and would be willing to do another one in the near future,” sophomore Jalessa Brown, multicultural student services, said.