From Many Points of View, Statue Is True to King's Image

"We've presented the image to thousands of people, and everyone loves it," Jackson said. "Frankly, it's sort of shocking that such objections would be raised at this late date."

The memorial will sit on a crescent-shaped, four-acre site and will be eight feet taller than the Lincoln statue at the Lincoln Memorial. Construction on the $100 million memorial, which is being paid for with private donations, is set to begin in October and be completed in 2010.

"It's a nice statue," said Donna Lewis, 45, who also works for the Park Service. "He looks like he's in deep thought. You can just imagine how heavily the times were weighing on him."

Dan Dalton, 49, a chaperon for the Van Cleve school trip, was one of the few critics. "He looks sort of mean," he said, wincing at the photograph. "The way he's got his arms folded looks defensive, not the way you picture a dreamer like King."

This month, a member of the National Capital Planning Commission, whose approval the project also needs, expressed a similar view.

"My image of Dr. King is of him leaning forward in anticipation, holding his chin or raising his arm," Commissioner Michael McGill said.

Perhaps someone will send Dalton and McGill a copy of Bob Fitch's 1966 photograph of King, which inspired the statue. You could find this and similar photographs of King in the homes of many black families during the 1960s.

In Fitch's photograph, King is standing in his Atlanta office next to a print of Gandhi. He appears fearless and resolute. And his arms are folded.

E-mail:milloyc@washpost.com