MLK Boston – a non-profit which supports cultural programmes focused on the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr – has unveiled the final designs for a memorial to the late activist and his wife, Coretta Scott King.

The competition, first announced in December 2017, received 126 submissions; five made the final cut.

Once chosen, the winning design will stand near the Massachusetts State House, in the 50-acre Boston Common.

Among the architects selected were: Boston King Memorial by Adam Pendleton, Adjaye Associates, Future Pace, and David Reinfurt, and Empty Pulpit Monument by Barbara Chase-Riboud.

The team behind Boston King Memorial, which features black, hill-shaped structures, took inspiration from King’s "I have been to the Mountaintop" speech. In a statement, they said that the memorial will "embody a broader sense of urgency and solidarity in the present."

Similarly, in describing her Empty Pulpit Monument – a bronze column made of bronze and "imperishable" stone–Barbara Riboud commented that she hoped her sculpture would "serve as a destination for reflection, relaxation, education, and inspiration".

Other firms and individuals whose submissions were selected include Hank Willis Thomas, MASS Design Group, Yinka Shonibare, Maryann Thompson Architects, and Wodizcko + Bonder.

The public is invited to vote on the designs and will have until 16 October to do so.