Volume 16 , Issue 12

Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1963)

It was 6:01 p.m., on April 4, 1968, (46 years ago) civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was hit by a sniper's bullet, while Dr. King was standing on the balcony in front of his room at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, TN. The .30 caliber rifle bullet entered King's right cheek, traveled through his neck, and finally stopped at his shoulder blade.


Conclusion of his famous Mountaintop

That was when blacks took to the streets across the United States in a massive wave of riots. The FBI investigated the crime, but many believed they were partially or fully responsible for the assassination. An escaped convict by the name of James Earl Ray was arrested, but many believed he was innocent.

Who Killed Martin Luther King Jr.? Despite many conspiracy theories questioning who was responsible for the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., most of the evidence points to a single shooter, James Earl Ray. After a two-month long, international manhunt, Ray was finally captured on June 8 at London's Heathrow Airport. Ray pleaded guilty and was given a 99-year sentence in prison. Ray died in prison in 1998.

President Lyndon B. Johnson called for a national day of mourning to be observed on 7 April 1968. In the following days, public libraries, museums, schools, and businesses were closed, and the Academy Awards ceremony and numerous sporting events were postponed.

Martin Luther King, Jr. was an American pastor, activist, humanitarian and dedicated leader. He was the most significant American of the 20th Century. Dr. King, Jr. was also a man of vision and determination. He never stopped dreaming of what could be.   |  View or Add Comments (0 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

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