Martin Luther King Jr's Assassination
Martin Luther King Jr. was a famous advocate and preacher during the Civil Rights Movement, who many Americans disliked. Unfortunately, on April 4, 1968, one American expressed his hate for Dr. King in an incredibly radical way by assassinating him in Memphis, Tennessee around 6 pm, at the Lorraine Motel. Martin Luther King Jr. had been standing on his balcony when he was shot in the face and chest. Immediately following, the people staying with him, Jesse Jackson, Ralph Abernathy, Andrew Young, Hosea Williams, and a few other close friends, ran to the unconscious Dr. King. A famous picture taken by Joseph Louw captures some of them pointing to where the bullet was fired. He was rushed to St. Joseph's Hospital, where he died due to his bullet
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Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination is not so much in the physical act, but rather the legacy he left behind. African-Americans have mainly Dr. King to thank for their equal rights and growing power in society. As leader of the Civil Rights Movement, he worked tirelessly and gave his life for the cause, and his efforts were rewarded by the Civil Rights Act in 1964. His leadership began to transcend race; he gained the support of some whites with his charisma, determination, and convincing speeches. He also inspired new forms of peaceful protest, such as boycotts and marches, that are still used to fight for different rights today, specifically in the black community. They learned from him in the past and now take those lessons to continue fighting for true equality and transcending the race barrier. The assassination’s impact in modern day is that he is seen as a martyr, studied in schools across the country and famous for his heartfelt speeches that drove the movement for so long. There are always those “What if he had lived a full life? Where would civil and racial rights be if he lived for longer?” questions, to which there are no real answers. But that is what his legacy entails. The African-Americans continue to hope for the next Dr. King to lead them through the tough issues now in racist policing. But his impact is also a sense of hope: the African-American community has hope that, similar to how they gained racial equality after slavery
Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination is not so much in the physical act, but rather the legacy he left behind. African-Americans have mainly Dr. King to thank for their equal rights and growing power in society. As leader of the Civil Rights Movement, he worked tirelessly and gave his life for the cause, and his efforts were rewarded by the Civil Rights Act in 1964. His leadership began to transcend race; he gained the support of some whites with his charisma, determination, and convincing speeches. He also inspired new forms of peaceful protest, such as boycotts and marches, that are still used to fight for different rights today, specifically in the black community. They learned from him in the past and now take those lessons to continue fighting for true equality and transcending the race barrier. The assassination’s impact in modern day is that he is seen as a martyr, studied in schools across the country and famous for his heartfelt speeches that drove the movement for so long. There are always those “What if he had lived a full life? Where would civil and racial rights be if he lived for longer?” questions, to which there are no real answers. But that is what his legacy entails. The African-Americans continue to hope for the next Dr. King to lead them through the tough issues now in racist policing. But his impact is also a sense of hope: the African-American community has hope that, similar to how they gained racial equality after slavery