Leslie Odom Jr. salutes MLK with ‘Let Freedom Ring!’ concert at Kennedy Center

WTOP's Jason Fraley previews 'Let Freedom Ring' at Kennedy Center (Part 1)

This MLK Day, the Kennedy Center and Georgetown University are celebrating the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with the free, ticketed musical tribute, “Let Freedom Ring!”

The annual concert will be held Monday at 6 p.m. in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall as part of the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage free daily performance series.

This year’s headliner is Leslie Odom Jr., who won a Tony Award as Aaron Burr in Broadway’s “Hamilton” (2016) before earning a pair of Oscar nominations for his role as Sam Cooke and his song “Speak Now” in the movie “One Night in Miami” (2020). He has also starred in “Harriet” (2019) and “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” (2022).

He’ll be joined by the Let Freedom Ring Choir led by Music Producer Nolan Williams Jr.

During the ceremony, Georgetown University will present the annual John Thompson Jr. Legacy of a Dream Award to Paula Fitzgerald, executive director of Ayuda. Since 1973, Ayuda has served more than 150,000 low-income immigrants throughout D.C., Maryland and Virginia. The award is given to a local individual who exemplifies the spirit of Dr. King.

Free tickets — up to two per person — will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis at the Hall of Nations box office, beginning at 4:30 p.m. on Monday.

This performance will be close-captioned and will be live streamed on the Kennedy Center website and its Facebook and YouTube pages.

Watch the concert below starting at 6 p.m.:

Find more information here.

WTOP's Jason Fraley previews 'Let Freedom Ring' at Kennedy Center (Part 2)
Jason Fraley

Hailed by The Washington Post for “his savantlike ability to name every Best Picture winner in history," Jason Fraley began at WTOP as Morning Drive Writer in 2008, film critic in 2011 and Entertainment Editor in 2014, providing daily arts coverage on-air and online.

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