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President and Mrs. Obama will host a special concert event in honor of Black History Month that will be broadcast on PBS stations from the White House East Room. Artists include Natalie Cole, Bob Dylan, Jennifer Hudson, John Legend, John Mellencamp, Smokey Robinson, Seal, the Blind Boys of Alabama and the Howard University Choir. Guest speakers are Morgan Freeman and Queen Latifah. The In Performance at the White House special, airs January 16 at 8 p.m. on KUED.

The evening will feature songs from the Civil Rights Movement performed by these top entertainers, as well as readings from famous Civil Rights speeches and writings.

"We are proud to join the White House in bringing this concert to the American people," noted Sharon Percy Rockefeller, president and CEO of WETA. "This event marks the forty-third production of the WETA 'In Performance at the White House' series and it is our pleasure to continue this legacy of sharing the rich cultural life of this country with the public."

"In Performance at the White House: A Celebration of Music from the Civil Rights Movement will provide PBS viewers with the best seat in the house for a very special evening. This performance special, together with our collection of Black History Month programming on PBS, reflects PBS's longstanding commitment to showcasing our nation's rich and diverse heritage," said PBS president and CEO Paula Kerger.

"The songs of the Civil Rights Movement capture the spirit of that critical period so memorably. To honor these songs at the White House and in a broadcast during Black History Month is a testament to that historic period in the American story, one that continues to change our lives," commented Jacquie Jones, executive director of the National Black Programming Consortium.

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