Maya Angelou Criticizes Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Inscription For Misrepresenting His Humility

In August 2011, poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou publicly criticized an inscription at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington, D.C., arguing that a paraphrased quote misrepresented Dr. King’s words. The memorial, which was nearing its official dedication later that month, featured a shortened version of a line from King’s 1968 “Drum Major Instinct” sermon. Angelou objected to the phrasing, stating that the edited inscription altered the tone and meaning of King’s message. The inscription read, “I was a drum major for justice, peace and righteousness,” which was a condensed version of King’s original words. In his sermon, King had said, “If you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice…,” framing the statement in a conditional and reflective context. Angelou argued that removing the introductory phrasing changed the humility of King’s message and made him appear self-congratulatory. She told The Washington Post that the inscription made Dr. King sound like “an arrogant twit,” emphasizing that the alteration distorted his legacy. Following Angelou’s criticism, along with concerns raised by historians and other figures, discussions began about correcting the inscription. The memorial was officially dedicated on 28/08/2011, but the controversy continued in the years that followed. In 2013, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced that the paraphrased quote would be removed. The inscription was subsequently eliminated from the memorial in 2013 to address the concerns raised about accuracy and representation. Angelou’s remarks contributed to a broader public conversation about preserving historical integrity in national monuments and ensuring that quotations are presented in their original context.