On Sunday (Oct. 16), President Barack Obama dedicated the Martin Luther King Memorial after touring the monument with First Lady Michelle Obama, their daughters, Sasha and Malia, and family members of Dr. King.
The event included speeches from noted individuals including Congressman John Lewis, Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, among others. Musical and spoken tributes were also made by Mary Mary, Nikki Giovanni, Aretha Franklin (SEE PERFORMANCE VIDEO BELOW) and more.
“An earthquake and hurricane may have delayed this day, but it was a day not to be denied,” the president said, opening his dedication:
For this day, we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s return to the National Mall. In this place, he will stand for all time, among monuments to those who fathered this nation and those who defended it; a black preacher with no official rank or title who somehow gave voice to our deepest dreams and our most lasting ideals, a man who stirred our conscience and thereby helped make our union more perfect. Continue
so that more than six million Americans don’t lose that lifeline. But let’s also encourage reforms that help the long-term unemployed keep their skills sharp and get a foot in the door. Let’s give summer jobs for low-income youth that don’t just give them their first paycheck but arm them with the skills they need for life.
