I remember exactly where I was when I received the news.
My best friend, Eddie Wilson and I were delivering yard signs for a school board election in Richardson, Texas.
As we listened to a local radio station, the news interrupted our music.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had been gunned down on the balcony of a motel in Memphis, Tennessee.
We couldn't believe it.
That was 39 years ago today, just after 6:00 p.m.
I'm remembering that terrible event today.
We need to recall why Dr. King was in Memphis on that fateful day.
On February 12, thirteen hundred African-American sanitation workers in Memphis had gone on strike.
My best friend, Eddie Wilson and I were delivering yard signs for a school board election in Richardson, Texas.
As we listened to a local radio station, the news interrupted our music.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had been gunned down on the balcony of a motel in Memphis, Tennessee.
We couldn't believe it.
That was 39 years ago today, just after 6:00 p.m.
I'm remembering that terrible event today.
We need to recall why Dr. King was in Memphis on that fateful day.
On February 12, thirteen hundred African-American sanitation workers in Memphis had gone on strike.
African American workers had a long history of grievances with the City of Memphis. And, this strike was begun as a response to a January 31 incident that year in which 22 black sanitation workers were sent home without pay during bad weather, while all the white workers remained on the job.
When the City of Memphis refused to negotiate with the 1,300 striking workers, King and other civil rights leaders were asked to visit Memphis to show their support for the striking workers.
On Monday, March 18, King spoke to over 15,000 who had gathered at Mason Temple. Ten days later, King returned to Memphis to lead a march in support of the striking workers.
Unfortunately, during that march, a few of the protesters got rowdy and smashed the windows of a storefront. The violence spread and soon countless others had taken up sticks and were breaking windows and looting stores.
Police moved in to disperse the crowd. Some of the marchers threw stones at the police. The police responded with tear gas and nightsticks. At least one of the marchers was shot and killed.
King was extremely distressed by this eruption of violence. Determined not to allow violence to have the last word, Dr. King planned another march in Memphis for April 8.
On April 3, King arrived in Memphis and that evening he delivered his "I've been to the Mountaintop" speech to a relatively small crowd that had braved a stormy Memphis night to hear his speech.
He concluded the speech with words that proved to be prophetic:
"Well, I don't know what will happen now; we've got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn't matter with me now, because I've been to the mountaintop.
On Monday, March 18, King spoke to over 15,000 who had gathered at Mason Temple. Ten days later, King returned to Memphis to lead a march in support of the striking workers.
Unfortunately, during that march, a few of the protesters got rowdy and smashed the windows of a storefront. The violence spread and soon countless others had taken up sticks and were breaking windows and looting stores.
Police moved in to disperse the crowd. Some of the marchers threw stones at the police. The police responded with tear gas and nightsticks. At least one of the marchers was shot and killed.
King was extremely distressed by this eruption of violence. Determined not to allow violence to have the last word, Dr. King planned another march in Memphis for April 8.
On April 3, King arrived in Memphis and that evening he delivered his "I've been to the Mountaintop" speech to a relatively small crowd that had braved a stormy Memphis night to hear his speech.
He concluded the speech with words that proved to be prophetic:
"Well, I don't know what will happen now; we've got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn't matter with me now, because I've been to the mountaintop.
And I don't mind.
"Like anybody, I would like to live a long life - longevity has its place.
"But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over, and I've seen the Promised Land.
"I may not get there with you.
"But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people will get to the Promised Land. And so I'm happy tonight; I'm not worried about anything; I'm not fearing any man.
"Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord."
The next day Dr. King was assassinated.
His death, as was true of his life, was significant for subsequent events in the American Civil Rights Movement.
But what I am thinking of today is the simple fact that Dr. King returned to Memphis to stand with hard working sanitation workers in their work action.
His lifelong commitment to the poor and to establishing justice provides me the encouragement and the example I need today as I remember his life, his death and his contribution to our national life.
Even now, he points the way for the work that is left to be done.
"Like anybody, I would like to live a long life - longevity has its place.
"But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over, and I've seen the Promised Land.
"I may not get there with you.
"But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people will get to the Promised Land. And so I'm happy tonight; I'm not worried about anything; I'm not fearing any man.
"Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord."
The next day Dr. King was assassinated.
His death, as was true of his life, was significant for subsequent events in the American Civil Rights Movement.
But what I am thinking of today is the simple fact that Dr. King returned to Memphis to stand with hard working sanitation workers in their work action.
His lifelong commitment to the poor and to establishing justice provides me the encouragement and the example I need today as I remember his life, his death and his contribution to our national life.
Even now, he points the way for the work that is left to be done.
3 comments:
Larry,
Those events were pretty incredible. About twenty years ago, I spent some time talking with folks at the church were Dr. King spoke on that fateful night and others who were involved in the campaign for better wages and working conditions. The Univ. of Memphis has a pretty good oral history project going, and the late Joan Turner Beifuss has done yeoman work in telling the story, based on the audio tapes of hundreds of interviews made in the days and weeks following the assasination of Dr. King. Here is a link to the book:
http://tinyurl.com/24jkv8
Regards,
Mark
Had he not been murdered, MLK would have been 78. I wonder what he'd be doing now? What issues would he be pressing?
You know I don't remember much about it . . . I was too young. And too blinded by things I was told. So very sad. As the years have passed, I've become more enlightened. As a matter of fact, I use this MLK quote on my signature block on my e-mails: "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."
-Martin Luther King, Jr.
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