President Obama on the #MLKDay of Service
In this special MLK Day of Service video, President Obama reflects on the life of Dr. King and calls on Americans to honor his legacy through service throughout the year.
“As Dr. King once said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others?” Today Americans across our country are answering that question through their actions. They are cleaning up parks, visiting hospitals, working at food banks, and reading to children. They’re doing their part to honor Dr. King by heeding his call to serve.”
Every American can do something to help fulfill Dr. King’s vision of the Beloved Community. As the President says, “That was Dr. King’s dream – that one day all Americans would treat each other as brothers and sisters. Let’s all do our part to make that dream real, not just today but every day.”
Learn more about MLKDay
Pledge to serve — join the MLK Day Challenge
Hi everybody.
Today we pay tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
We reflect on the lessons of his life – that extraordinary change begins when ordinary men and women are willing to stand up for the progress they seek.
We draw strength from his unbending commitment to justice and his unwavering conviction in the moral force of nonviolence. And just as we celebrate the progress he helped inspire, we recommit ourselves to our unfinished work - defending the dignity and equality of all people.
That’s why today we come together in a national day of service. Because as Dr. King once said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others?”
Today Americans across our country are answering that question through their actions. They are cleaning up parks, visiting hospitals, working at food banks, and reading to children. They’re doing their part to honor Dr. King by heeding his call to serve.
To everyone out there volunteering today: thank you. And to everyone who wants to join in, it’s not too late. Just go to www.MLKDay.gov to find a project happening right now near you.
Dr. King is an inspiration to millions around the world including me. We feel his legacy all around us, in our schools, our communities, our halls of government, and most importantly in our hearts; how we treat each other in the simple act of kindness respect that bind us together as one American family.
That was Dr. King’s dream – that one day all Americans would treat each other as brothers and sisters. Let’s all do our part to make that dream real, not just today but every day.
- President Barack Obama