ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The death of civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis is taking on a special meaning surrounding a sculpture at the St. Pete Pier.  

During a ceremony honoring Congressman John Lewis in the Capitol Runtunda, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell invoked the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. when he said, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” That bending arc of justice now leans into the new St. Pete Pier in the form of a massive moving sculpture. 

Creator Janet Echelman says the piece is inspired by not only Dr. King’s words, but also the Pier site’s role in the civil rights movement.

“It lead to a 1957 U.S. Supreme Court ruling," Echelman said, “that preserved the right of every single American regardless of race or any form of discrimination to use municipal pools and beaches.” 

It’s for that reason, Echelman entitles the sculpture, “The Bending Arc.”

“When I look at the piece moving in the wind,” Echelman said, “you see these arcs move across as the wind blows through. It’s a moment to contemplate the interconnectedness of the entire human race. And it’s a reminder for us to be grateful for and celebrate the courage of the people who came before us. Who brought us to where we are and the job that we have to do bring ourselves forward again.”