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King's Church Rings With Praise

Bill Clinton, Huckabee pay respects to civil rights leader

By Nick McMaster,  Newser Staff

Posted Jan 21, 2008 3:04 PM CST

(Newser) – The Atlanta church where Martin Luther King Jr. preached his message of racial equality rang with praise today for the slain civil rights leader, reports the AP. Hundreds of notables, including Bill Clinton, Mike Huckabee, and Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, crammed into Ebenezer Baptist Church. "King's legacy gives light to our hopes, permission to our aspirations, and relevance to our dreams," said Franklin.

"He freed us all to fight the civil rights battle, to fight the poverty battle, and do it together," said Clinton, who credited King with the presence of an African American, a Baptist minister, a Mormon, and a woman in this year's presidential race. King’s influence, he said, caused him to appoint more African-American officials than all previous administrations combined.

Republican Presidential hopeful, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, left, sits with Alveda King, niece of Martin Luther King, during a ceremony honoring Martin Luther King, Monday, Jan. 21, 2008, at the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Republican Presidential hopeful, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, left, sits with Alveda King, niece of Martin Luther King, during a ceremony honoring Martin Luther King, Monday, Jan. 21, 2008, at...   (Associated Press)
Former President Bill Clinton speaks during Martin Luther King Jr., birthday service Ebenzer Baptist Church Monday, Jan. 21, 2008 in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Former President Bill Clinton speaks during Martin Luther King Jr., birthday service Ebenzer Baptist Church Monday, Jan. 21, 2008 in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)   (Associated Press)
Rev.  Bernice King, daughter of Martin Luther King Jr.,  left, sings We Shall Overcome with Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie, second fron left, her aunt Christine King Farris and her cousin Isaac Newton Farris, right during a Martin Luther King Jr. birthday service Ebenzer Baptist Church Monday, Jan. 21, 2008 in...
Rev. Bernice King, daughter of Martin Luther King Jr., left, sings "We Shall Overcome" with Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie, second fron left, her aunt Christine King Farris and her cousin Isaac Newton...   (Associated Press)
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