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    Back to To the Point

    To the Point

    From King to Obama: America Receives It’s First Black President

    Barack Obama declared that Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday should be a day of service and today, with the First-Lady-to-be, he surprised a group of volunteers in Washington, DC sending cards, letters and packages to troops serving overseas.

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    By Warren Olney • May 12, 2014 • 1 min read

    Barack Obama declared that Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday should be a day of service and today, with the First-Lady-to-be, he surprised a group of volunteers in Washington, DC sending cards, letters and packages to troops serving overseas. Barack and Michelle Obama then circulated through a crowd of very excited people, shaking hands and getting their pictures taken. There is, of course, heavy symbolism in the coincidence of Dr. King’s birthday falling on the day before the inauguration of America’s first African American president.

    The full episode

    2 of 3
    The Dreams and the Realities of Black Americans
    1. 1:45Cease-Fire in Gaza
    2. 7:47From King to Obama: America Receives It’s First Black President You’re reading this
    3. 44:26Obama Seeks John McCain’s Counsel
    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Warren Olney

      former KCRW broadcaster

    • KCRW placeholder

      Karen Radziner

      Managing Producer, To the Point & Which Way LA?

    • KCRW placeholder

      Katie Cooper

      Producer, 'One year Later'

    • KCRW placeholder

      Cheryl Contee

      Jack and Jill Politics

    • KCRW placeholder

      Wayne Bennett

      TheFieldNegro.com

    • KCRW placeholder

      Glen Ford

      Executive editor of Blackagendareport.com

      NewsNationalPolitics

    The full episode

    2 of 3
    The Dreams and the Realities of Black Americans
    1. 1:45Cease-Fire in Gaza
    2. 7:47From King to Obama: America Receives It’s First Black President You’re reading this
    3. 44:26Obama Seeks John McCain’s Counsel
    Back to To the Point