The five year time period spent creating a life-like statue of Martin Luther King Jr., for the Memorial Commons has consisted of some rocky times to say the least.

The project started out well. The Black Student Union came up with the idea for the statue and an artist was found who offered to create it as a favor to the university for a fraction of what another artist might have charged.

Since that time, the progress of the statue has been somewhat secretive since the artist did not have a phone in his studio. When NIU officials and Student Association members were able to check on the artist’s progress, they discovered the statue was accidentally destroyed and on other visits they felt it did not adequately resemble King. These factors led to continuous delays in its completion. It just goes to show, you get what you pay for.

Although our contract with the artist might be broken this semester, the statue is a necessity to complete the aesthetics of the commons.

If the cost of the statue is too expensive for NIU students and the university to finance completely, perhaps outside groups or alumni might find this a worth while enough project to make donations.

Referring to the open space for free speech outside the Holmes Student Center as the King Memorial Commons is not enough. A statue of the man placed in the commons, after all of the area’s renovations are complete, would only help remind us all of the man behind the name.