Photo by joelogon

The work to remove a controversial quote on the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial will begin Monday.

Preparatory work, which includes “mobilization of trailers, lifts and other equipment and erection of scaffolding,” will begin on July 22 in preparation for the arrival of the memorial’s sculptor, according to a release from the National Park Service. Lei Yixin, the sculptor who created the monument, is expected to arrive the following week to remove the quote, “I was a drum major for justice, peace and righteousness.” Striations will be carved over the letters to match the rest of the memorial.

Critics, including the Washington Post editorial board, argued that the paraphrased quote should be changed or removed as it misrepresented what King was actually saying. The poet Maya Angelou said it made King sound like an “arrogant twit.”

The original plan was to replace the quote, clipped from a 1968 sermon, with the entire passage: “Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice. Say that I was a drum major for peace. I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter.” But according to the NPS release, Lei recommended removing the quote to maintain the memorial’s structural integrity.

The memorial, which opened in August 2011, will remain open during the work.