The Stavros Niarchos Foundation is ensuring that the legacy and memory of the late Archbishop Iakovos will be commemorated and honored properly, as a leader during the Civil Rights Movement, thanks to a gift of $2 million to fund the building of a Reflection Area at the new Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington DC.

The museum is currently under construction in the last available plot on the National Mall, holding a prominent spot close to the Washington Monument.

In December, as a “countdown” to its opening, the museum featured projections of images on its outside walls, chronicling the history of the African American experience in this country and prominently featured photos of the Archbishop with Martin Luther King Jr., approximately in the 5:34 spot on the video below.

Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture “Commemorate and Celebrate Freedom” from Quixotic on Vimeo.

In addition to the $2 million gift to the museum, the Niarchos Foundation’s Co-President, Andreas Dracopoulos, added a personal gift of $1 million.

Archbishop Iakovos, who marched alongside Martin Luther King Jr. in the now historic march in Selma, Alabama, was a strong advocate for Civil Rights and opposed racism of all types. The photo of the march, featuring the Archbishop, made the cover of Life Magazine’s March 26, 1965 edition.

Original copies of the magazine are available from The Pappas Post e-shop.