Published:
Celebrating 40 years of the King Mural by artist Don Miller at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in Washington, D.C.
This story is adapted from the 2022 DC Public Library article published about the exhibit “The Making of the King Mural” made possible by the DC Public Library Foundation and Don Miller’s sons, Craig and Eric, who generously shared information, stories and images of their father and his work.
A Vision Takes Shape
When the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library opened its doors in August of 1972, the Great Hall stood as a blank canvas—a space yearning for something that truly honored Dr. King’s legacy. Early photos from the opening show temporary images of Dr. King pinned to the north wall, a gesture that hinted at the desire for something permanent and profound.
That vision would come to life more than a decade later, thanks to artist Don Miller—a man whose life story was as compelling as the mural he created.
Image courtesy of The People's Archive, DC Public Library.
Meet Don Miller
Born in Jamaica in 1923, Don Miller immigrated to the United States at age five and grew up in Montclair, New Jersey. His passion for art was evident early on, but his journey took an unexpected turn during World War II. Drafted at 20, Miller served in Alaska’s Aleutian Islands under the command of famed writer Dashiell Hammett. There, Miller worked on The Adakian, a daily newspaper for 50,000 troops. Hammett’s unit was the only desegregated one in the Army—a bold act Miller deeply admired.
“He knew Hammett’s decision to integrate the paper was an act of defiance of the status quo,” Miller’s wife Judy later said. “He saw him as a kind of hero.”
Those years shaped Miller’s sense of justice and artistry. After the war, he built a successful career as an illustrator and graphic designer, creating portraits, book illustrations, and works celebrating African heritage.
Image left: Hammett surrounded by the staff of the Adakian Newspaper including Don Miller (far right) and Bernie Kalb (front row left.) Image courtesy of The Diane Johnson Collection, Harry Ranson Center, University of Texas.
"Windblown and Dripping" produced by The Adakian Cartooonists
The Spark
In the early 1980s, Miller visited his childhood friend Charles Lowery, then head of facilities for DC Public Library. Standing in the Great Hall, Miller saw the vast, empty wall and imagined a mural that would tell Dr. King’s story—a sweeping visual narrative of courage, struggle, and hope.
By November 1984, Miller had a contract to research, design, and paint the mural. An agreement bolstered in part by his previous work for the library painting a portrait of the first African American Board of Library Trustee President, Francis A. Gregory. For this piece, Miller spent a year immersed in Dr. King’s life, studying photographs, speeches, and historical accounts before putting brush to canvas.
Image right: A choir sings in a beautiful, but bare, Great Hall at the MLK Library. Image courtesy of The People's Archive, DC Public Library
Image below: Artist, Don Miller works on the mural design. Image courtesy of Miller Family Photos.
Bringing History to Life
Creating a mural of this scale was monumental. Miller worked in his Montclair studio, where his sons documented the progress week by week. But this wasn’t just a painting—it was a tapestry of real lives and moments.
- Rosa Parks visited Miller during the process, correcting the bus route name in the Montgomery scene from Capital Heights to Cleveland Heights.
- Rev. C.T. Vivian posed for his portrait.
- A neighbor’s daughter modeled as one of the jailed girls in Birmingham.
- Miller’s own son Craig stood in for a protester blasted by a firehose.
- Even the mother of Andrew Goodman – a voting rights worker murdered in 1964 - came to the studio, ensuring her son’s likeness was true to life, correcting his hair color from a light brown to dark brown.
Each figure was chosen with care, weaving personal stories into the larger narrative of the Civil Rights Movement.
Pictured left to right: Don works on a section of mural featuring Andrew Goodman; young neighbor poses as girl in mural; Craig Miller poses for mural; Rosa Parks and Don Miller in front of the painting of the bus; Reverend C.T. Vivian poses for photo used in mural. Images courtesy of Miller Family Photos.
The Unveiling
On January 20, 1986—the first anniversary of the national holiday honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr—the mural was unveiled in the Great Hall. Crowds lined up outside the library to witness the tribute. Journalist Gil Noble even hosted a segment of his show Like It Is from Miller’s studio, featuring civil rights leaders Rev. Wyatt Tee Walker, Dorothy Cotten, Ralph Abernathy, Andrew Young, Rev. C.T. Vivian, and Rev. Fred L. Shuttlesworth.
Pictured left to right: the Gil Noble Show; Mural installation overseen by Charles Lowery (second from the right); Don Miller gives remarks at podium, seated behind him is former DC Council Chairman Dave Clarke; Crowds outside the MLK Library
The Washington Post captured the emotion of the day - jubilation, pride, and reverence for both Dr. King and the artist who honored him – in two articles (available for free via DC Public Library and your library card!):
For King, Jubilation and Detachment (Jan. 21, 1986) Karlyn Barker, The Washington Post
Image courtesy of The People's Archive, DC Public Library.
Preserving the Legacy
For 30 years, the mural stood as a beacon of justice and learning. When the library closed for renovation in 2017, the mural was stored off-site where skilled conservators carefully restored the artwork, removing decades of dust and reviving its original vibrancy.
As DC Public Library Director Richard Reyes-Gavilan reflected:
“I remember very distinctly, walking into the building for the first time and staring at the mural ... it signified that this is a learning institution, and not only is it a learning institution, it is an institution that is focused on issues around social justice.”
Pictured left to right: Faith Gibson Hubbard, DC Public Library Board of Trustees; Vince Morris, DC Public Library Board of Trustees; Hon. Anthony Williams; Hon. Muriel Bowser; David Grosso, Former DC Councilmember ; Richard Reyes-Gavilan, executive director, DC Public Library; Gregory McCarthy, president, DC Public Library Board of Trustees; Victor Reinoso, DC Public Library Board of Trustees; Neil Albert, DC Public Library Board of Trustees; Kamili Anderson, DC Public Library Board of Trustees. Image courtesy of The People's Archive, DC Public Library.
Image courtesy of The People's Archive, DC Public Library.
A Community Effort
The mural’s creation was also a milestone for the DC Public Library Foundation, which launched its first major fundraising campaign to support the project. Led by Nora Drew Gregory, the effort ensured that Miller’s vision could become reality—a testament to what community can achieve together.
Read about Nora Gregory and her work to establish the DC Public Library Foundation as a fundraising giant for the library via The Washington Post:
Why It Matters Today
The King Mural is more than art. It’s a living history lesson, a celebration of resilience, and a reminder that the fight for justice is ongoing. As you stand before it in the Great Hall, you’re not just looking at paint on a wall—you’re witnessing a story that continues to inspire generations.