With Hurricane Irene set to pummel the east coast, organizers of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial have decided to postpone the dedication ceremony that was to take place this weekend (see here). While the dates are not fixed yet, the plan is for it to be postponed until September or October. MLK Foundation CEO Harry Johnson had this to say:

“I remained optimistic all day, but Mother Nature is Mother Nature. I’m very disappointed and hurt, really. We all are.”

The event was expected to draw upwards of 250,000 people. Because of the hurricane, the memorial will not be dedicated on the 48th anniversary of King’s “I Have A Dream” speech.

Hurricane Irene is just reaching the Carolinas, dumping ran on the coasts. It is expected to go up the coast, hitting DC and NYC and dissipating over New England. The hurricane could affect over 65 million people and cause billions in damages.

Be safe out there.