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| Work starts on memorial to King | |
| (about 10 hours later) | |
| US President George W Bush was among speakers at a ceremony marking the start of work on a US national memorial to Martin Luther King. | US President George W Bush was among speakers at a ceremony marking the start of work on a US national memorial to Martin Luther King. |
| The monument to the civil rights leader would "preserve his legacy for ages", the president said. | The monument to the civil rights leader would "preserve his legacy for ages", the president said. |
| Work on the four-acre memorial is set to finish in 2008, and comes 10 years after Congress approved the tribute. | Work on the four-acre memorial is set to finish in 2008, and comes 10 years after Congress approved the tribute. |
| It is near the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, where Luther King gave his "I have a dream" speech in 1963. | It is near the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, where Luther King gave his "I have a dream" speech in 1963. |
| "Dr King showed us that a life of conscious and purpose can lift up many souls, and on this ground a monument will rise that preserves his legacy for the ages," Mr Bush said at the ground-breaking ceremony on Washington's National Mall. | "Dr King showed us that a life of conscious and purpose can lift up many souls, and on this ground a monument will rise that preserves his legacy for the ages," Mr Bush said at the ground-breaking ceremony on Washington's National Mall. |
| Also at the dedication were former President Bill Clinton, TV celebrity Oprah Winfrey and prize-winning poet Maya Angelou. | Also at the dedication were former President Bill Clinton, TV celebrity Oprah Winfrey and prize-winning poet Maya Angelou. |
| Mr Bush said he wanted to "particularly thank" Mr Clinton, who signed the legislation authorising the monument. | Mr Bush said he wanted to "particularly thank" Mr Clinton, who signed the legislation authorising the monument. |
| The memorial is being built on a tract of land on a direct line between the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials. | The memorial is being built on a tract of land on a direct line between the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials. |
| Its $100m (£52m) price tag is being financed by numerous private and corporate donors. | |
| Notable supporters of the project include Star Wars producer George Lucas, former US Secretary of State Colin Powell and Jack Valenti, former president of the Motion Picture Association of America. | Notable supporters of the project include Star Wars producer George Lucas, former US Secretary of State Colin Powell and Jack Valenti, former president of the Motion Picture Association of America. |