MLK memorial dedication
President Obama, Vice President Biden, King's family and a handful of civil rights leaders and dignitaries will be on hand to celebrate the achievements of the man credited with pushing the civil rights movement to the forefront for America and advancing its cause through peaceful demonstrations. martin luther king memorial dedication,
The morning-long ceremony was initially slated for Aug. 28 ?-- the 48th anniversary of the March on Washington and King's "I Have a Dream" speech -- but Tropical Storm Irene delayed the event. This second attempt to honor King will be scaled back considerably, but still is expected to run four hours and includes a musical performance by Aretha Franklin, remarks from Obama and the replaying of King's famous speech.
Organizers originally planned a full day of festivities, but Sunday's ceremony will start just before 8 a.m. and end around noon. Hurricane Irene,
Despite the pared down schedule, "I am confident Sunday's event will be momentous for all who join us in West Potomac Park and those who tune in from across the country and around the world to witness this long-awaited moment in our nation's history," said Harry Johnson, president and chief executive officer of the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation. Aretha Franklin
The program beings at 7:50 a.m. with a video of King followed by musical selections.
The ceremony starts at 9 a.m. and includes a welcome address from D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray followed by remarks from King's family and reflections on the civil rights movement from Dan Rather and the Rev. Jesse Jackson, among others.
Franklin's performance and Obama's speech will come toward the end.
The King memorial is the first on the National Mall to honor someone who wasn't president and the first to honor a black American leader. It spans four acres and includes a 450-foot inscription wall with more than a dozen quotes from King engraved into the granite and a 30-foot sculpture of him.
Construction on the project lasted five years and the final product includes an array of trees, plants, stones and water to create a natural and serene landscape. Aretha Franklin,
Source: washingtonexaminer