As I’ve made Northern my new home and gotten acquainted with the various landmarks, there is one eyesore that has been left to rot in public while other areas are renovated and landscaped meticulously. No, this isn’t a modern art piece or plaque hidden away between the halls, it’s in the exact center of campus. And not only that, it’s dedicated to the memory of Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights movement. While the MLK Commons are frequently used for a wide array of events throughout the year, the ‘Balance of Equality’ sculpture in its center has become a very sad display that’s only made worse by the quotes and dedications hidden under the grime. Some breed of mold has crept over most of it, the originally white concrete has become dark gray despite being surrounded by newly paved and washed sidewalks. While it’s designed to feature a flowerbed around its base, it only bears what appears to be an old set of perennials that could easily be mistaken for weeds if you don’t notice the few flowers. If you walk up to inspect the inspirational quotes circling the base, it only gets more depressing. The top section of the sculpture is now filled with scrap wood. Take a look, there are actually rotten planks in the top funnel. Oddly enough, if you look around the lowest level of the layered flower bed, you’ll notice a set of long-forgotten spotlights buried under the newest layer of soil. This sculpture was once a bold statement about equality between races that could be brilliantly illuminated at night, there are a couple images of this long-extinct display on the school website to display the beauty of our campus. For whatever reason, this monument that hundreds of students, staff and visitors pass by each day is now visibly decaying in the very heart of our campus. Of all the projects and renovations being made, is one day’s rental of a power washer too much to revive this Civil Rights monument?

While the wiring for the lights and the upkeep of the built-in garden is another issue entirely, at least making the sculpture match the fresh concrete around it would invite more photo opportunities and improve the background for the many events that utilize the MLK Commons.

Who knows, maybe students will be able to read the quotes engraved on the base, and actually reflect on the events and people it’s dedicated to.

Guide Sobecki
freshman communications major

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