A Living Memorial and a Model for Community Engagement

On January 15, 1990, three thousand people came out to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by planting 400 trees along the entire length of MLK Boulevard in South Los Angeles–seven miles in a single day. Each tree was named in memory of someone, and then adopted by a neighboring resident committed to its ongoing care. The result is the largest living monument to Dr. King in existence. More than 20 years later, the trees are thriving and beautiful, a tribute to Dr. King’s key tenets.