Hyundai Motor America Announces $1 Million Donation to the Washington, DC Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation

COSTA MESA, Calif., Aug. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- As the nation and the world prepare to commemorate the life, legacy and dream of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a permanent memorial on the historic National Mall in Washington, DC, Hyundai Motor America today announced a $1 million donation in support of the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation.  The donation was granted to support the Foundation's mission of making the dream of a permanent memorial to Dr. King in the nation's capital a reality.  The MLK Memorial, the first on the National Mall to honor an African American, will be dedicated on Sunday, August 28 in a West Potomac Park ceremony on the 48th anniversary of the March on Washington and Dr. King's historic "I Have a Dream" speech.  President Barack Obama is scheduled to officiate at the dedication ceremony. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial will be permanently installed at the intersection of West Basin Drive SW and Independence Avenue SW in Washington, DC.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110818/NY54755LOGO )

A global company with U.S. headquarters in Costa Mesa, CA and a two-million square-foot manufacturing plant in Montgomery, Alabama – the site of Dr. King's seminal Montgomery Bus Boycott and turning point in the American Civil Rights Movement – Hyundai is committed to supporting projects, initiatives and activities that champion diversity, make a difference in communities across the country and contribute to the American cultural landscape.  Hyundai's support of the MLK National Memorial is preceded by a history of landmark donations, including making a contribution to the Korean War Veterans Memorial– also on the Washington Mall – as well as providing relief effort support surrounding Hurricane Katrina and the tornadoes that affected the state of Alabama.

"Hyundai Motor America is proud to support the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Project Foundation as a Lead Donor and to serve as a Platinum sponsor of the Dream Gala," says John Krafcik, president and CEO, Hyundai Motor America.  "Dr. King's vision of peace and hope continue to impact the nation and the world while inspiring Hyundai to continue to be a company of bold ideas, big goals and big dreams."

Hyundai's $1 million donation places one of the nation's fastest-growing automotive companies in the Leadership Donor category and positions Hyundai as a Platinum-level sponsor of the 2011 Martin Luther King, Jr. Dream Gala, the official celebratory event that will herald the Dedication of the MLK National Memorial.  More than 6,000 people from around the world are scheduled to attend the Dream Gala, which will be held on Saturday, August 27 at the Washington Convention Center.  The Dream Gala is the signature event in a week-long series of activities leading up to the Dedication.

"I am grateful for and humbled by the generosity of Hyundai Motor America," says Harry E. Johnson, President and CEO of the Washington, DC Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation, Inc. "It is the commitment and support of Hyundai and other like-minded citizens that have helped to make the completion of this historic project a reality and one that will stand as a permanent testament to a man who re-directed the course of American history and indeed that of the world."

Among the luminaries scheduled to attend the Dream Gala and other Dedication Week events are: members of the King Family; civil rights leaders including Congressman John Lewis, Ambassador Andy Young, Reverend Al Sharpton, Reverend Jesse Jackson, and Reverend Joseph Lowery; and, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar.  Former Secretary of Labor Alexis Herman, General Colin Powell, Tom Brokaw, Maya Angelou, Alpha Phi Alpha General President Herman "Skip" Mason, Jr., and leaders of the nation's faith-based communities are also scheduled to attend and participate.

For more information on the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation, Inc. please visit: www.dedicatethedream.org.

About Hyundai

Hyundai is committed to, and takes great pride in, supporting equal opportunity for all its business partners. This commitment is woven into the fabric and foundation of the organization.  Hyundai acknowledges, with great gratitude, the support and contributions of its many customers and business partners who have cultivated, encouraged, and supported the growth of Hyundai in the United States.  

The company's $1.6 billion plant in Montgomery, Alabama (Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama, LLC) employs more than 2,500 people and is one of the most advanced assembly plants in North America. Additionally, more than 78 suppliers have located businesses throughout North America to support Hyundai's plant. Altogether, these suppliers have created more than 6,000 additional jobs with a combined capital investment of $500 million.

After more than 24 years in the U.S. automobile market and with "America's Best Warranty," Hyundai continues to reinforce its commitment to sell innovative, high-quality vehicles at affordable prices.

For more information on Hyundai and its diversity initiatives, please visit:

http://www.hyundaiusa.com/about-hyundai/diversity/

For further information, please contact:

Zafar J. Brooks
Director, Government Relations and Diversity Outreach
Hyundai Motor America
714.965.3584
[email protected]

Helen C. Shelton
EVP, Ruder Finn Multicultural Marketing Group
212.593.6443
[email protected]

SOURCE Hyundai Motor America