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Quote Corrected On MLK Memorial

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

The Martin Luther King Junior memorial in Washington, D.C. will be ready for the 50th anniversary of the civil rights March on Washington. The sculpture, which looks out on the city's tidal basin has been covered in scaffolding to correct an inscription on the monument. Since it was put up in 2011, it has had a truncated version of a quotation from a speech King gave in 1968.

The words were, quote, "I was a drum major for justice, peace and righteousness." Critics pointed out that this was not what Dr. King actually said and that it could be interpreted as arrogance on his part. What he actually said was this:

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED SPEECH)

MARTIN: Workers have now removed the phrase and the monument will be open for the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington on August 28. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

Rachel Martin is a host of Morning Edition, as well as NPR's morning news podcast Up First.
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