March 9, 2007
Media advisory: King County to unveil its new logo: an image of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.!
King County will reach a significant milestone in its 155 year history this weekend when a new logo in the image of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is unveiled at a community event on Sunday, March 11. The original graphic design meets requirements of a County Council measure passed one year ago directing the county to design a new logo in the likeness of Dr. King, which will replace the gold crown logo.
County Council Chairman Larry Gossett, Executive Ron Sims, Governor Christine Gregoire, former County Councilman Bruce Laing, Reverend Samuel McKinney, State Senator Adam Kline and civic leader Eddie Rye Jr. will be among the speakers.
Community Event
Sunday, March 11, 2007
2:00 p.m. at Mount Zion Church
1634 19th Ave.
Seattle, WA 98122
Pastor Emeritus McKinney of Mount Zion Church attended Morehouse College with Dr. King. King led a civil rights march in Seattle in 1961 at the invitation of Rev. McKinney.
"Finally, we will have a logo that reflects our namesake and the values of our citizens and their government," said King County Council Chairman Larry Gossett. "With our new logo, we are giving our children and future generations a visible reminder of the just and peaceful society that Dr. King embodied. We must all work to fulfill Dr. King's dream."
"Dr. King is an icon for justice recognized around the world and a fitting symbol for a diverse and forward-looking government like ours," said King County Executive Ron Sims. "Dr. King's legacy transcends race, which makes this logo change a remarkable milestone for all people."
On Monday, March 12, the King County Council will be briefed on the new logo at its Committee of the Whole meeting at 9:30 a.m., and take a final vote on approval at its regular 1:30 p.m. meeting. If approved, this vote will mark the culmination of a 20-year effort to officially change the county's namesake from a slave-owning 19th century U.S. vice president to that of a champion of justice and equality. The new depiction will replace the image of a gold crown that has been the county's logo since the 1960s.
King County adopted Martin Luther King Jr. as its namesake in 1986 in a motion sponsored by then-Councilmembers Laing and Sims. The state legislature ratified the change in 2005 after repeated efforts by key legislators, especially George Fleming, Adam Kline and Eric Pettigrew. Once the state approved the change, King County Council Chairman Larry Gossett won council approval of the logo change in February 2006.
The design was chosen by a committee consisting of Prosecutor Norm Maleng, Sheriff Sue Rahr, Superior Court Presiding Judge Michael Trickey, Councilmember Gossett, and Executive Sims.
If the council approves the design, King County will be the first government to use the image of the Nobel Laureate and civil rights leader as its defining symbol.
King County has worked nearly a year with the community, employees and an artist to create an original graphic image of Dr. King for its logo.
King County was named in 1852 when the area was part of the Oregon Territory. It is believed that King County and neighboring Pierce County were named to win favor with President Franklin Pierce and support the territory's bid to become a state. Rufus King, the county's original namesake, owned a plantation in Selma, Alabama and was a strong supporter of the Fugitive Slave Act. He was ill and in Cuba when sworn into office as vice-president. He died six weeks later.
The county is using a low-cost, five-year phased approached to transition to the new logo. Supplies with the crown such as stationary will be used first until new supplies are needed.