Congressman John Lewis on MLK Tower at Stone Mountain
U.S. Congressman John Lewis (D- Georgia) says a monument to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at Stone Mountain could be a good idea.
Lewis, a famed civil rights icon who marched with King, tells FOX 5 he hasn't taken a firm position on the proposal but believes it should be considered.
"Even Dr. King said freedom should ring from Stone Mountain so I think people should think about that," Lewis said.
In an interview with FOX 5's Marissa Mitchell, Lewis said he understands some members of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the NAACP are against the proposal, citing King shouldn't be remembered on a Confederate landmark.
The Sons of Confederate Veterans are also against the plan, saying the mountain should remain only a Confederate memorial.
"We shouldn't be afraid. Dr. King spoke of building one community and building a beloved community. Maybe Dr. King's likeness or a bell for him next to some of the heroes of another period would serve to bring people together," Lewis added.
The Stone Mountain Memorial Association is in the early stages of planning for a bell tower atop the mountain in remembrance of King and his "I Have a Dream" speech.