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Kids Commute: Martin Luther King Jr. week!

Martin Luther King Jr. addresses the crowd at the March On Washington D.C., on Aug. 28, 1963.
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Martin Luther King Jr. addresses the crowd at the March On Washington D.C., on Aug. 28, 1963.

Martin Luther King inspired action against racism in the United States - and a whole lot of music.

Each year on the third Monday in January, the United States honors civil rights activist and minister Martin Luther King Jr.'s life and legacy.

Many recognize King as the face of the American civil rights movement in the 1960s.

As a leader of the movement, King organized peaceful protests, gave speeches before audiences of thousands and even won the Nobel Peace Prize.

King's life, work and message inspired composers and performers from singer-songwriter Nina Simone to jazz pianist and composer Duke Ellington.

Find out more on Kids Commute this week!

Kids Commute - MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. WEEK! Monday: Elegy for a King (Frederic Hand)
Frederic Hand, guitar
Kids Commute - MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. WEEK! Tuesday: O King (Luciano Berio)
Boston Musica Viva/Elsa Charlston, soprano

Here's the video of Berio's score in action!

Kids Commute - MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. WEEK! Wednesday: Epitaph for a Man Who Dreamed (Adolphus Hailstork)
Chicago Sinfonietta
Kids Commute - MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. WEEK! Thursday: Trois Rois Noir - MLK ("Three Black Kings" - Duke Ellington)
American Composers Orchestra/Maurice Peress
Kids Commute - MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. WEEK! Friday: Why (the King of Love is Dead)
Nina Simone, live in concert

This week's Kids Commute episodes were produced with support from Delia Zaleski, Emily Duncan Wilson, Amanda Sewell and Joseph Levesque.

Kate Botello is a host and producer at Classical IPR.