President Barack Obama called it a "privilege" to swear in to his second term using a Bible that had been owned by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
But Obama didn't just swear in on the bible -- per the King family's request, he also inscribed the Bible, along with Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, who administered the presidential oath of office.
The AP reports:
As the nation observed both Martin Luther King Day and Barack Obama's second inaugural, the president left his mark on an artifact with deep significance for the civil rights movement.
After Obama was sworn in at the Capitol, the president and Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts inscribed the King family Bible. That's according to a White House official, who says the King family requested the inscription.
Before the inauguration ceremonies began, Dr. King's oldest son, Martin Luther King III, called it "an extraordinary honor to our family" to have Obama swear in on the King's Bible. CBS News reports:
Martin Luther King III, Dr. King's eldest son, spoke to Anthony Mason and Rebecca Jarvis about what it means to him that one of his father's Bibles will be used.
"This is an extraordinary honor to our family," he said. "But then, the hope is that the president, the Congress, and the nation derive inspiration as he did from this Bible that is tattered and worn... that he traveled around the nation with and pulled out quite often."
The Bible is the one that Dr. King used for his first sermon at the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, where he was pastor in 1950. It also served as one of his "traveling Bibles" which he used to preach unity.
Obama's inauguration took place on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, with many of the inaugural ceremonies honoring the civil rights leader.
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