Assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.

The full page banner headline in The New York Times the day following the assassination of Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. read as follows: MARTIN LUTHER KING IS SLAIN IN MEMPHIS; A WHITE IS SUSPECTED; JOHNSON URGES CALM (Caldwell, 1968, A1). The headline does more than reveal the murder of King, for it reveals much about the civil rights issues that were threatening to divide America in two as no issues had done since the Civil War. The slain Civil Rights leader now has his own national holiday and African American leaders struggle to follow in his footsteps and achieve his dream of a colorblind culture. However, the nation was embroiled in bitter conflict over civil rights issues at the time of King's assassination. Suddenly the champion of millions of blacks and whites alike and the leader of the Civil Rights movement was gone.

Robbed of the man who galvanized their community, outraged African Americans took to the streets to protest. Furor erupted among blacks in many cities, including riots in Memphis, Atlanta, Harlem, Los Angeles and many others as angry African Americans refused to heed the President's call for calm. Officially, a white small-time hood named James Earl Ray had fired a single shot that hit king fatally in the head, from a bathroom window in a flophouse across the street. However, controversy has surrounding the King assassination as to the real identity of his assassin and the forces behind hi

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ions reported that incidents of vandalism, arson and looting which had been occurring in the city since the April 4 assassination had intensified the previous night" (Hall, 2003, M-4). Violence would continue to escalate in the days after the shooting in Richmond and other U.S. cities. Reports of largely youth mobs of African Americans were reported destroying property, setting fires, and other acts of vandalism. Local and state law enforcement officials were ordered into many cities to maintain control in the wake of the assassination and remained a presence for days following King's murder. The scene of King's assassination was one of pandemonium in the minutes and hours following the shooting. In addition to Jessie Jackson, on the balcony where King lay slain had been the Reverend Andrew Young, Andrew Young, Reverend James Bevel and Hosea Williams. It was Jessie Jackson who witnessed the assassination firsthand. King was leaning over the second-story balcony telling King he wanted a specific spiritual he enjoyed played at the evening's planned rally. As King bent over he told Jackson to ensure Precious Lord, Take My Hand was played. Suddenly a shot rang out and King toppled to the concrete floor. He had suffered a guns

Category: History - A