ATLANTA — A campaign to build a national memorial to Martin Luther King Jr. reached a $100 million fundraising milestone recently with a gift from one of the world's leading aerospace companies.
Boeing Co. presented the Martin Luther King Memorial Foundation with a $1 million donation during a Unity Prayer Breakfast at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, officials announced.
The gift helped the foundation reach its original $100 million goal but leaves organizers $20 million shy of what's needed to complete the project slated for a site on the National Mall in Washington between the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials. Fundraisers blame the increased price tag on soaring construction costs. Site preparation is under way.
Other recent donations include $3 million from Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates and his wife, Melinda.
— S.A. Reid, Atlanta Journal-Constitution