Martin Luther King Memorial Dedication Sunday

Posted October 16th, 2011 at 7:00 am (UTC-5)
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Thousands are expected in Washington Sunday for the dedication of a national memorial to slain civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr.

President Barack Obama is scheduled to deliver an address before a host of civil right luminaries and members of the King family, honoring the man who gave his life in the pursuit of equal rights for blacks in America.

On Saturday, thousands took part in a peaceful rally in Washington for jobs and economic justice, while paying homage to King's legacy.

The dedication of the $120 million dollar statue and memorial park on the National Mall was initially set for August 28, to coincide with the 48th anniversary of the March on Washington and King's “I Have a Dream” speech. But the threat of Tropical Storm Irene prompted organizers to reschedule the dedication.

The 9-meter granite statue of the Nobel Peace Prize laureate has been engraved with some of his most famous quotes.

Martin Luther King was assassinated on April 4, 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee .