It's 50 years ago today since black civil rights leader Martin Luther King marched on Washington and delivered a speech (opens in new tab)timed to correspond with the 100-year centennial of the Emancipation Proclamation. It contained these famous words: "I say to you today, my friends, even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up, live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.'"
To celebrate this historic anniversary, we've put together this collection of inspirational illustrations inspired by the man himself. From pop art to wood etching, and chalk to geometrics, these artists prove that there are many ways to interpret an icon.
01. Serene Timoteo (opens in new tab)
This is a brilliant pop-art inspired piece by illustrator and designer Serene Timoteo. We instantly fell in love with the bold use of colour and doodle art (opens in new tab) approach.
This design is printed on natural white, matte, ultra smooth, 100% cotton rag, acid and lignin free archival paper using an advanced digital dry ink method to ensure vibrant image quality.
02. Gray8ness Crew (opens in new tab)
This graphic design from Gray8ness Crew is inspired by Martin Luther King Jr's quote, "The quality, not the longevity, of one's life is what is important". The illustrator often uses this style with many other famous faces and we think this one for Luther King Jr. works perfectly.
03. Guy Hivroni (opens in new tab)
A quirky find on Etsy, Guy Hivroni etches images of well-known faces into recycled wood. This one is pine and measures in at 8.1 x 11.2 inches. His other creations also include Marilyn Monroe, Steve Jobs, John Lennon and Mick Jagger.
04. Pierre Emmanuel Godet (opens in new tab)
Pierre is a French artist currently living in Dublin, where he first creates these drawings on pavements using chalk. This illustration was created using only one line which is outlining everything connected to the 'Man of Peace.' If you look inside the picture, you will find references to peace between black and white, the Bible, The Ku Klux Klan, a baptism church, the boycott and protesting against unfair laws.
05. ThinkGabriel (opens in new tab)
This design entitled 'We are all the Same' from ThinkGabriel was inspired by this Luther King Jr. quote: "I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality.... I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word".
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Have you seen a Martin Luther King Jr. inspired illustration? Let us know in the comments box below!
