Obama to celebrate MLK's life and legacy

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. acknowledges the crowd at the Lincoln Memorial for his "I Have a Dream" speech during the March on Washington, D.C. in this file photo of Aug. 28, 1963. Nearly 40 years after his assassination in April 1968, after the deaths of his wife and others who knew both the man and what he stood for, some say King is facing the same fate that has befallen many a historical figure - being frozen in a moment in time that ignores the full complexity of the man and his message.
AP Photo/File

President Barack Obama will spend much of Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrating the civil rights leader's life and legacy.

Following a Monday morning meeting with senior advisers, the president and first lady Michelle Obama will participate in a public-service event.

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.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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