South Bend to unveil Father Hesburgh, MLK statue Wednesday

SOUTH BEND, Ind.-Wednesday is a historic day for the city of South Bend. A moment in history is being brought to life through art. A new statue, featuring the late Father Theodore Hesburgh and the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. will be unveiled.

The ceremony will take place on South Main Street in Leighton Plaza.

Folks are invited to gather at the Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center on Linden Avenue starting at 10 A.M.

Anyone in attendance will then march to the unveiling ceremony at Leighton Plaza, which starts at 11 A.M.

Mayor Pete Buttigieg and University of Notre Dame President Father John Jenkins will be in attendance.

Transpo Bus services will also provide free shuttles from downtown to the King center, that way, people can park downtown and pick up their vehicle following the event.

The place commissioned to create this work of art is also in the heart of downtown.

A sculptor from “Fire Arts” on Colfax Avenue says one moment in history provided inspiration for the statue.

“In 1964 on June 21, there was a big civil rights rally at Soldier Field in Chicago and Martin Luther King and Father Hesburgh came,” said Tuck Langland, the sculptor behind the piece.

“They spoke to 57,000 people and at the end of it, there were a lot of people there linking hands and sang ‘we shall overcome’”, Langland said.

Langland also believes that the statue will serve as a big attraction for the city.

“It’s going to be a major sculpture for South Bend,” Langland said. “I think a very important one because obviously Father Hesburgh is very important to South Bend, the nation and the world,” Langland said.

The Transpo shuttles will depart from Washington Street next to the former Hall of Fame Gridiron at 9:30 A.M., 9:40 A.M. and 9:50 A.M.

Here's more on what you need to know about the ceremony: