Celebrating Dr. King with the Departure of Barack Obama

With the establishment of the period when the nation would celebrate the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, no one could have anticipated the possibility that one day that period would converge with the date when a "first black president" would be turning over executive power after serving two terms. But in just a few days Barack Hussein Obama will conclude an ironic but historic chapter in the ongoing story of this strange and dangerous place called the United States of America.

Donald Trump, in flap with civil rights icon, meets with MLKa s son

Martin Luther King III, son of Martin Luther King Jr. speaks to members of the media following a meeting with President-elect Donald Trump at Trump Tower in New York, Monday. NEW YORK >> Days before taking office, President-elect Donald Trump attempted to navigate the fallout of his flap with a civil rights leader and colleague of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. while also losing a member of his incoming administration to accusations of plagiarism.

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In this Aug. 28, 1963, file photo, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., head of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, addresses marchers during his "I Have a Dream" speech at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington. As civil rights leaders and activists gather Monday, Jan. 16, 2017, at sites across the country to celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., the slain civil rights leader's daughter Bernice King is encouraging Americans to fight for his vision of love and justice "no matter who is in the White House."

Rauner, Duckworth Attend MLK Day of Service in Chicago

Gov. Bruce Rauner and Sen. Tammy Duckworth attended the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service at Chicago's Curie High School Monday. The event, hosted by non-profit City Year Chicago, looks to honor Dr. King's birthday by commemorating his legacy of service.

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A community near Philadelphia is gathering to celebrate the life of a 14-year-old girl who authorities say was killed and dismembered by her adoptive mother and the mother's boyfriend. The smiles radiate from photos posted online by friends: Grace Packer sporting an impish grin as a toddler, floating happily in a pool as a young teen, leaning in to talk to a friend at her school lunch table.

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John Cryan, Chief Executive Officer of Deutsche Bank, speaks during a panel session on the first day of the 47th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, WEF, in Davos, Switzerland, Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2017. . CEO of The Dow Chemical Company Andrew N. Liveris gestures as he speaks during a panel 'Size matters: The Future of Big Business' at the 'World Economic Forum' in Davos, Switzerland, Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2017.

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Some civil rights leaders say Donald Trump's presidency could improve race relations in the United States because it forces more frank conversations about inequality and tension. Scott Shepherd didn't fire the shot that killed Martin Luther King Jr., but the former Ku Klux Klansman says he has always felt remorse toward the family of the slain civil rights leader and all who honor his legacy.

Editorial, Jan. 16, 2017: More than ever, we need to follow Martin Luther King Jr.a s lead

Each year on the third Monday in January this space is filled with prose extolling the life and achievements of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. While it is indeed the day the nation has set aside to honor King, such editorials somehow seem trite and even redundant. They are not; honoring greatness is never redundant.

How About a oeStupid Americans Daya ?

This recognition of Dr. King's Birthday was created in commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. after his assassination in Memphis in 1968 by James Earl Ray. It was an acknowledgement of Dr. King's leadership in breaking down discrimination in this country-not just in the South but in the oh-so-subtle discrimination in the North in real estate, in subpar schools in not officially segregated ghettos, but segregated just the same.

Hundreds gather in Sonora to honor Martin Luther King Jr.

Laurie Sylwester / courtesy Diane Magid presents Jay Bell with the Humanitarian Award in recognition of a life of service to economic justice and a commitment to civil rights and Dr. King's ideals. Laurie Sylwester / courtesy photo Diane Magid presents Sylvia Alden Roberts with the Humanitarian Award in recognition of a life of service to economic justice and a commitment to civil rights and Dr. King's ideals.

Martin Luther King Jr. is laid on a balcony after he

America has healed before - or have we? USA TODAY asked three historians to consider other times when the USA was torn apart. Check out this story on pal-item.com: http://usat.ly/2gdDkdK How does a divided country come back together? Clinton supporters hope protests keep divisive issues front and center to prevent rhetoric from becoming policy.

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CTU members, students and supporters listen to speakers as they participate in a "walk-in" at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. College Prep in Chicago on Oct. 6, 2016. CTU members, students and supporters listen to speakers as they participate in a "walk-in" at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. College Prep in Chicago on Oct. 6, 2016.

Where Is Our Martin Luther King Jr.?

Over the last several decades, those who view religion with respect regularly come back to the same question: What has happened to the religious intellectuals, the thinkers taken seriously by nonbelievers as well as believers? In this increasingly secular time, a natural follow-up question ratifies the point of the original query: Who cares? Why should the thinking of those inspired by faith even matter to those who don't share it? Well, historically, secular and religious intellectuals often engaged in helpful dialogue, and Alan Jacobs, a Baylor University scholar, suggests that religious intellectuals are the missing solvent in our fractious culture wars: They are uniquely well-placed to mediate between secular liberals and conservative believers whom progressives often see as "forces of reaction."