Myrlie Evers-Williams was selected to deliver the invocation and Rev. Louie Giglio has been selected to deliver the benediction at President Obama's inauguration swearing in on Jan. 21.

“Vice President Biden and I are honored that Myrlie Evers-Williams and Rev. Louie Giglio will participate in the Inaugural ceremony,” President Obama said Tuesday. "Their voices have inspired many people across this great nation within the faith community and beyond. Their careers reflect the ideals that the vice president and I continue to pursue for all Americans — justice, equality, and opportunity."

Evers-Williams is the widow of Medgar Evers, the NAACP’s Mississippi field secretary, who, in 1963, was gunned down in the driveway of his home in Jackson, Mississippi. She fought for 30 years to bring his assassin to justice, and preserves his legacy through the Medgar Evers Institute in Jackson, Mississippi.

"I am humbled to have been asked to deliver the invocation for the 57th inauguration of the president of the United States — especially in light of this historical time in America when we will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the civil rights movement,” Evers-Williams said. “It is indeed an exhilarating experience to have the distinct honor of representing that era."

Evers-Williams was the co-founder of the National Women’s Political Caucus as well as chairwoman of the board of directors of the NAACP. She has published several books on topics related to the civil rights movement and the legacy of Medgar Evers. 

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