The statue of a key civil rights figure which was vandalized in 2022 is coming back to Springfield for display this summer after a successful restoration.

The Illinois Secretary of State’s office announced on they expect to return the Martin Luther King Jr. statue to Springfield’s Freedom Center at the corner of the Second Street and Capitol Avenue intersection in July.

Concrete is already being poured by construction crews to secure the base of the sculpture of the Baptist minister and civil rights activist. The renovated statue will feature the craftmanship of Illinois-based Sculpture Resource, which restored the statue.

“As we celebrate freedom this month, it’s essential that we continue to commemorate the history making achievements of King and his pursuit for freedom for all Americans, regardless of their skin color,” Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said in a news release. “His relentless efforts to build a fairer society and his life-long devotion to civil rights make him one of the world’s most influential individuals.”

The repaired sculpture will sport a refinished bronze surface and come equipped with fortified attachment points and a new bronze base, designed to better secure it.

What happened to the statue?

In September 2022, then-24-year-old Fernando Garcia was arrested for criminal damage to the statue when he toppled the massive metal art installment.

Garcia reached a plea deal in August 2023, owing the state over $10,000 in restitution for the toppling.

“The King”

The 300-pound bronze statue called “The King,” was sculpted by Geraldine McCullough and unveiled on Jan. 14, 1988. The art was displayed in the Capitol rotunda until 1989 when it was moved outside the Illinois State Museum. In 1993, the statue moved to Freedom Corner, where it would stay until 2022.

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Martin Luther King Jr. is the only non-Illinoisan to be honored with a statue on the grounds of the Capitol Complex.

A new statue to honor King

Four months after the arrest for the destruction of the statue, state lawmakers approved supplemental spending in fiscal year 2023 granting the appropriation from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Architect of the Capitol.

The package included $500,000 for the acquisition, placement and maintenance for a new statue.

Giannoulias said state officials are continuing discussions regarding a new MLK statue on the Capitol grounds in Springfield to further honor his legacy and contributions. His predecessor, Jesse White, had long urged for a new statue to be placed inside the Capitol and offered $5,000 of his own funding to commence the campaign.

Once the General Assembly and the Office of the Architect move forward with the new statue, the Secretary of State will work closely to ensure a location is found that is appropriate for the deference King deserves.

Claire Grant writes about business, growth and development and other news topics for The State Journal-Register. She can be reached at CLGrant@gannett.com; and on X (Formerly known as Twitter): @Claire_Granted

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Vandalized Martin Luther King Jr. statue returning to Springfield