Houston History: The Obelisk Dedicated to MLK

For today’s history spotlight, in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, I want to focus on "Broken Obelisk," a sculpture outside of Rothko Chapel. 



The artwork has a storied history. In 1969, the city of Houston received a grant to buy a contemporary sculpture, and art patrons John and Dominique de Menil (who later founded the Menil Collection) offered matching funds. The couple picked “Broken Obelisk” by sculptor Barnett Newman, and following Martin Luther King's assassination, they asked that it be placed outside Houston City Hall and dedicated to King. The city refused to accept the dedication. So the Menils bought the sculpture themselves, and placed it in front of the Rothko Chapel in 1971.