Illinois Secretary of State calls for new Dr. King statue

Posted on May 4, 2021
Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White says King deserves a Springfield statue which is distinctive. (Photo courtesy Illinois Secretary of State’s Office)

 

By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – One of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s old friends says it’s time for a change.

Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White says King deserves a Springfield statue which is distinctive. “When you see the Lincoln statue, you know that’s Abe,” said the secretary. “But when you see this statue, it doesn’t look like Dr. King.”

King’s now across the street from the Capitol, as if walking home after a hard day of work, with his tie loosened and his jacket over his shoulder. That’s not how White remembers him.

White won’t weigh in on the debate over removing statues or renaming schools and the like. Stephen Douglas and Pierre Menard have been booted from the Capitol because of their connections to slavery.

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]

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