Armenian Genocide Martyrs Monument, Montebello, California

The Armenian Genocide Martyrs Monument, better known as Montebello Genocide Memorial, is a monument in Montebello, California in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, dedicated to the victims of the Armenian genocide of 1915. The monument, opened in April 1968, is a tower of eight arches supported on 75-foot-tall (23 m)  white concrete columns.  The memorial was designed by Hrant Agbabian. It is the oldest and largest memorial in the United States dedicated to the Armenian Genocide victims. The inscription on the memorial plaque reads:

Armenian Martyrs Memorial Monument: This Monument erected by Americans of Armenian descent, is dedicated to the 1,500,000 Armenian victims of the Genocide perpetrated by the Turkish Government, 1915–1921, and to men of all nations who have fallen victim to crimes against humanity.

As part of the Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day, thousands of Armenians from different parts of Greater Los Angeles area and American politicians gather in Montebello memorial every year on April 24 and lay flowers to the victims of the genocide.

History

After the 50th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide in 1965, the Armenian community of Los Angeles decided to build a memorial, which would serve as a permanent location for commemorating the Armenian Genocide victims. They spent months looking for a site in the city of Montebello and came across land that the Bicknell family had dedicated to the city for public use. A group of Armenians led by Michael Minasian who was the founder of the Armenian Monument council started the process of exploring different architectural drawings. On January 12, 1967 the city Approved by a vote of 4-1 the design to build the Armenian Genocide memorial, the headlines read “CITY ACCEPTS PLANS OF ARMENIAN SHAFT”. Armenians from around the world participated in the fundraising, which gathered $125,000.