Barack Obama was in Memphis today, giving the commencement speech at Booker T.

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But the community surrounding Booker T. had fallen on hard times -- in south Memphis.

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So we decided that it would be Booker T. and the Memphis Group, the MG's.

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This week, I went to Memphis, Tennessee, where I spoke to the graduating class of Booker T.

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Bass guitarist Donald "Duck" Dunn, who played with Booker T and the MGs, has died in Tokyo aged 70.

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And I want to acknowledge the devoted teachers and administrators at Booker T.

WHITEHOUSE: President Obama Gives Commencement Address at Booker T. Washington High School | The White House

They were going to complete their studies no matter what Booker T.

WHITEHOUSE: President Obama Gives Commencement Address at Booker T. Washington High School | The White House

When Carson was young, he was influenced by stories about Booker T.

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Even the best African American history courses just restore the lives of what my father would call the big Negroes, Booker T.

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And if anyone doubts this, they ought to head to Booker T.

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They all passed through the inn, as did Booker T.

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For the generation of kids graduating today from Booker T.

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And then I gave a commencement address at Booker T.

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Still, Booker T. and crew weren't known for putting together great albums: The legacy rests mostly on "Green Onions" and the thinly veiled rewrites that followed on subsequent releases.

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Because if success can happen here at Booker T.

WHITEHOUSE: President Obama Gives Commencement Address at Booker T. Washington High School | The White House

The tour included the basement of the Booker T.

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But he has a clear advantage over Booker T: he supposedly performed miracles, including walking on the water after the French had put him on a ship to send him into exile.

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She became a student at the Booker T.

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The farmers wrote a letter to Booker T.

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And when she first came to Booker T.

WHITEHOUSE: President Obama Gives Commencement Address at Booker T. Washington High School | The White House

But, Michel, unless we all do our genealogy, we're not going to find heroes like Julius Caesar Tamain, because he's not on the level of Du Bois and he's not on the level of Booker T.

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One of those people was Booker T.

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As Barack said to the Booker T.

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And this is something that Booker T.

WHITEHOUSE: President Obama Gives Commencement Address at Booker T. Washington High School | The White House

There were some, like Booker T.

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Led by organist Booker T.

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But at Booker T.

WHITEHOUSE: President Obama Gives Commencement Address at Booker T. Washington High School | The White House

Now, I will admit being President is a great job. (Laughter.) I have a very nice plane. (Laughter.) I have a theme song. (Laughter.) But what I enjoy most is having a chance to come to a school like Booker T.

WHITEHOUSE: President Obama Gives Commencement Address at Booker T. Washington High School | The White House

"Look, this woman is going to die if we don't continue, " Booker recalled saying.

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Mr. Zuckerberg was not available, a spokeswoman for Mr. Christie couldn't be reached, and Mr. Booker declined to comment.

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