President Obama on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Legacy

Today, to celebrate the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Day of Service and honor Dr. King’s life and legacy, President and Mrs. Obama, and 10 Cabinet Secretaries and senior Administration officials participated in community service projects in Washington, DC. Led by the Corporation for National and Community Service and the King Center, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service is an opportunity for all Americans to come together to help meet the needs of their communities and make an ongoing commitment to service throughout the year. This year, the King Day of Service includes thousands of projects – from delivering meals and refurbishing schools to reading to children, promoting nonviolence and more – spread across all 50 states.

President Barack Obama gets a hug from Victoria Kennedy at a campaign stop for Democratic senate candidate, Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley at Northeastern University in Boston, Sunday, Jan. 17, 2010.(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

“Dr. King dedicated his life to advancing social justice and equal opportunity for all,” President Obama said. “But more than forty years after his death, there is still much work left to be done. Through service, we honor his legacy by helping our neighbors, strengthening our communities and meeting the challenges we face together. I encourage all Americans to not only continue Dr. King’s work through service today, but to make service a part of your lives every day.”

The President, First Lady and their family visited So Others Might Eat, an organization dedicated to helping people get off the streets and empowering them to make lasting changes in their lives. The First Family served food to homeless and hungry men, women and children.

Later at the White House, Obama will host a conversation with a small group of African American seniors and their grandchildren on the legacy of the civil rights movement.

In the evening, the president and Mrs. Obama plan to attend the “Let Freedom Ring” concert at the Kennedy Center. The concert features nationally renowned artists and choir members from Washington area churches.

The President speaks about the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the importance of persistence in achieving broader goals in remarks at the Vermont Avenue Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. January 17, 2010.

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President Obama speaks after an event where members of different generations reflected on the legacy of the Civil Rights Movement and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
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