Monumental Debate

Few speeches echo across generations. When they do they share important characteristics. They are breathtakingly courageous, or uniquely of the moment, or both. They combine elements of drama, language and context with a manner of delivery that matches the message's significance. The speech that Martin Luther King made on 28 August 1963, to 250,000 Americans who had marched on Washington, was all these things.

The monument commemorating this historic event was not.

The stern look on Dr. King's face, his body language, and even the paraphrased 'misquote' on the statue's side have all drawn criticism.

But could it be worse?  

Carved in rock or cast in bronze, America's monuments are intended to impart an unquestionable truth about the people and the events they commemorate.

The King memorial is not the only contoroversial monument to come to DC.

Even George Washington's statue was found offensive and comical to many Americans of the time.

Check out these 9 most baffling monuments and then design one of your own.

Filmmaker Tom Trinley drove across the United States towing a 1965 Airstream trailer and visited six historic sites to unveil the truth behind the myths of some of our most recognizable, and misunderstood, national monuments.