U.S. Pays Tribute To King As Obama Begins New Term

ATLANTA (AP) — The youngest daughter of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. hailed the inauguration of the nation's first black president to a new term as one of the achievements made possible by the civil rights struggle her father helped lead decades ago.

Bernice King spoke at an Atlanta service Monday on the federal King holiday, urging Americans to draw inspiration from her slain father's nonviolent campaign after a difficult year of military conflicts abroad and natural disasters at home.

Monday's King holiday coincided with celebrations of President Barack Obama's inauguration to a second term in Washington. Many paused to take stock of the progress made by the country since the 1960s fight to end racial segregation — and of challenges ahead as Obama assumed a second term.