10/06/2026
Born on this day in 1959, Maya Lin is the architect and artist behind one of the most recognizable memorials on the National Mall.
In 1981, at just 21 years old, Lin won the national competition to design the Vietnam Veterans Memorial while studying at Yale University. Her design was selected from more than 1,400 entries.
Lin envisioned two black granite walls set into the earth, meeting in a wide V. More than 58,000 names are inscribed chronologically across the walls. The reflective granite allows visitors to see the names alongside their own reflections, while flowers, photographs, medals, military dog tags and more are often left at the wall in memory of those who served.
NPS photo of the illuminated Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall at dusk.
