GARETTSON, S.D. (KELO) — 60 years ago today nearly a quarter of a million people crowded around the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. to witness Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Today his words are still impacting those around the country. Porter Williams, a sculptor in Sioux Falls, has made a life-size sculpture of the civil rights activist.

Williams was in his early twenties when Dr. King gave his “I Have A Dream” speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963.

“I have a dream. And My dream is being fulfilled right today with the younger educated black people especially here in Sioux Falls,” said Williams.

The now 81-year-old moved to Sioux Falls when he was 13 years old, he recalls it being a much different city back then.

“They didn’t get lynched here, as most of the people came here from the south. But we were lynched alright, economically and socially, so it’s been a journey,” said Williams.

Throughout Dr. King’s life, he hoped to one day see people of different races walk hand in hand, something Williams never thought he’d see.

“When they did that George Floyd thing at my sculpture I couldn’t believe that many white people would show up to protest about Floyd,” said Williams.

Williams currently is working on a sculpture of John Lewis, another civil rights leader who led peaceful protests alongside Dr. King.

“I’m really interested in history, especially black history because they didn’t teach us that in school,” said Williams.

His love of sculpting black figures is a passion and is something he hopes to be remembered for. Williams has made over a dozen sculptures of black figures. The sculpture he created of Dr. King is located in Van Eps Park in Sioux Falls.