In Newport News for the dedication of his latest public works sculpture, Ed Hamilton visited with students at An Achievable Dream Middle and High School on Friday, May 16, 2014. Hamilton heard about An Achievable Dream and wanted to share his story with the students, encouraging them to pursue their dreams no matter how large. He also gave them a “sneak preview” of his new work, The Unfinished March, the centerpiece of the Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza, located at 25th Street and Jefferson Avenue. The statue, a large bronze bas-relief featuring the front row of a Civil Rights march with Dr. King in the center, his hand reaching out, was unveiled and dedicated on Saturday, May 17. Prior to the dedication, Washington said that he was happy to have the sculpture in Newport News and hoped it would inspire young people.

Hamilton, based in Louisville, Kentucky, is known for creating public sculptures that commemorate the people and events that figure prominently in African American history. His work includes The Spirit of Freedom at the African American Civil War Memorial in Washington, D.C., and The Amistad Memorial in New Haven, Conn. In Louisville, the larger-than-life Abraham Lincoln looks over a waterfront park. One of Hamilton’s first commissions was the Booker T. Washington statue on the campus of Hampton University in 1983.