It has been 50 years to the day since Martin Luther King Jr. stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and delivered one of the most famous speeches in American history.
King's "I Have a Dream" speech is a pinnacle of the American Civil Rights Movement. To honor it, the nation's first African-American president will deliver a speech of his own on the very same steps.
A ceremony that's being called #MLKDream50 started shortly after 11 a.m. ET on Wednesday. President Obama is scheduled to speak at 2:45 p.m. ET Follow along live using the embedded video player above.
The day has already produced a number of memorable images.
#PHOTO: Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter arrive at the Lincoln Memorial #mow50 pic.twitter.com/jJoPNKqXuy— Agence France-Presse (@AFP) August 28, 2013
Children salute for a pic by daddy on Mall following March on Washington. pic.twitter.com/u3s3WEVUMa— M. Scott Mahaskey (@smahaskey) August 28, 2013
#DreamDay an honor to be here on the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have A Dream" speech. pic.twitter.com/WBTfHVaDb6— Al Roker (@alroker) August 28, 2013
Before the ceremony started, crowds recreated the famous March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, which preceded King's speech in 1963.
What do you march for? Rev. Jesse Jackson says he marches for... #IMarchFor pic.twitter.com/6kNvBrd1nc— ABC News (@ABC) August 28, 2013
Marchers sing 'amen' while passing Justice Dept. in Washington. pic.twitter.com/IbxsHVjcap— M. Scott Mahaskey (@smahaskey) August 28, 2013
White House photographer Pete Souza posted this Instagram photo taken in the Oval Office.