World famous sculptor and Kentucky native Ed Hamilton will be featured on CBS News Sunday Morning at 9:00am on February 15th. The show will talk to Hamilton about his creation of the Lincoln Memorial commissioned by the Louisville Waterfront Corporation. The story will be featured on the eve of President’s Day and the week of Abraham Lincoln’s 200th birthday. Hamilton designed the memorial to highlight the Kentucky connection of the 16th President of the United States and Kentucky native. Lincoln, a native of Hodgenville, Kentucky moved to Indiana and then to Washington where he pushed for the end of slavery during his presidential term. The memorial is being funded by a grant from the Kentucky General Assembly.
On June 4, 2009 the state of Kentucky will celebrate Lincoln’s birthday, and Hamilton will be joined by national, state and local officials in unveiling the Lincoln Memorial in Waterfront Park, located along the Ohio River in downtown Louisville. The memorial will serve as a tourist destination and an outdoor learning center. The park enjoys more than 1.5 million visitors per year and the addition of the Lincoln Memorial is expected to attract many more.
Ed Hamilton is known for but not limited to:
- The Booker T. Washington Memorial in Hampton, VA
- Spirit of Freedom in Washington D.C.
- Joe Louis Memorial in Detroit, MI
- The Amistad Memorial in New Haven, CT
Hamilton, the author of his autobiography, “The Birth of An Artist: A Journey of Discovery” (Chicago Spectrum Press). The book outlines his journey from hopeful art student in Louisville, Kentucky to nationally acclaimed sculptor. A second book will be published later this year prior to the unveiling of the Lincoln Memorial.
