King Portrait Moved To Permanent Home In The Capitol

On the 25th Anniversary of the observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the civil right ambassador's portrait will have a new home in the Georgia Capitol.

Last Thursday, Secretary of State Brian Kemp's Office hosted a ceremony to celebrate the portrait's new location: an alcove just off the grand staircase on the second floor. A representative from Kemp's reported that King's eldest son, Martin Luther King, III, attended the event and was pleased with the portrait's new home.

Traditionally, the portrait of the out-going governor is placed in the Governor's Hall where King's portrait previously hung. To make room for a picture of former Governor Sonny Perdue and his wife, Mary, King's portrait had to be moved; and it would have to be moved each time a new governor took office. Finding a permanent home was the best solution to avoid constant movement, officials said.

 Going beyond the call of duty, however, Kemp consulted Mayor Kasim Reed, Representative Calvin Smyre, former chairman of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Commission, and other African-American leaders before making a definite decision, a representative from his office said.

 Now, King's portrait is prominently featured with enough room for two side panels that include information about King and the Civil Rights struggle. It is also flanked on the right by the portraits of two other Georgians: James Johnson, a judge, Congressman, and provisional governor, and Alfred Colquitt, Governor from 1876-1882.

 “[This] is a pretty good location for it,” Tommy Culligan, Assistant to the Secretary of State, said.