40 Years ago today - MLK Jr. Assassinated

[Favpack]

Kind of hard to believe the 40 year anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s death is not getting more attention. I was 7 and honestly don't remember it - I don't think it was talked about that much when it happened as JFK had been gunned down five years prior.

His death accelerated civil rights - but at a great cost.

I used to be one that said "the past is the past - let's move on (code for let's dont' talk about it). Not anymore - I think there is still much work to do in this area.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/files/specials/interactives/_national/mlk_40/index.html?SITE=YAHOO&SECTION=HOME

[Miss Kitty]

Yes, his death made an impact, which is why I have always wondered why MLK day was not put on this day instead of January. I think more people would think about the cost he made. But that is just my opinion.

[KT2000]

I learned something new today. I'm ashamed I didn't know already.

[stevefoxsc]

22 years ago i was born today >.>

[Favpack]

I learned something new today. I'm ashamed I didn't know already.

KT - every time I watch a documentary on Dr. King I learn something new I should have been taught earlier - like the Chicago civil rights marches - but wasn't.

Dr. King went to Chicago and challenged the Daly machine in '67? - and was met with utter hatred from everyone except the poor blacks in that city.

The "red-lining" that went on then in Chicago (rich whites stirring up fear and buying "distressed" homes from whites running to the suburbs - then selling at over-inflated prices to blacks) was the motivation for realtor laws still used today.

It took so much energy to get the basic civil rights back then.

[RP-3]

I know some people don't like or agree with CNN but they had a great special on the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, last night. I was in Memphis back in February of this year, and was able to visit the Civil Rights Museum
and the building that James Earl Ray "supposedly" killed him from. I said supposedly because I found out last night Dr. King's family doesn't believe James Ray actually pulled the trigger. If anyone is ever in Memphis this is a must see.

[jakerz]

I know some people don't like or agree with CNN but they had a great special on the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, last night. I was in Memphis back in February of this year, and was able to visit the Civil Rights Museum
and the building that James Earl Ray "supposedly" killed him from. I said supposedly because I found out last night Dr. King's family doesn't believe James Ray actually pulled the trigger. If anyone is ever in Memphis this is a must see.

When you actually want change for the poor, you get assassinated. See JFK, MLK, etc.

[RedRage00]

When you actually want change for the poor, you get assassinated. See JFK, MLK, etc.

Change in general...not necessarily for the poor.

[stevefoxsc]

something they really dont tell you or keep appart. when jfk was assassinated we had probably some of the worst riots ever detroit was literally nearly burned down entirely with a famous quote "we built this city and we'll burn it down."

[Dawg Fan]

It was a very sad day for this country:cry JFK wasn't the saint everyone believed him to be but King was a Great Man!

[LPMOM]

i remember that day well. i as 8 yrs. old and we lived in an apt. in pasadena at the time. i remember sitting in front of the t.v. and waiting for the official report that he was dead. i remember crying. i actually paid attention to news about him and heard parts of his speeches. i was an only child and spent most of my time around only grown ups. i had been trained to sit for an entire evening while grown ups talked and to remain silent. to me dr. king represented what i heard and read from the bible more than the people around me. they said in church that Jesus loved all the little kids of all races, they showed missionarys in far away lands, ect. BUT when you listened to them outside of church it was ni**er this and ni**er that and all kinds of hatefull things. even my biological mother was full of hatred. thank GOD for my dad that drug me all over houston to the all black high school football games on friday nights, and to revivals at black churches.
this is hard to share with ya'll but i remember my biological mother asking me why i was crying over a dead ni**er, and then remember my dad coming home after work and holding me and telling me it was alright to cry and wiping the tears from my eyes. then i remember the horrible fighting between my parents that went on late into the night.

[GoOwls]

I was 10 and glued to the TV all afternoon...wondering when the assissinations would stop.....:cry

[Favpack]

i remember that day well. i as 8 yrs. old and we lived in an apt. in pasadena at the time. i remember sitting in front of the t.v. and waiting for the official report that he was dead. i remember crying. i actually paid attention to news about him and heard parts of his speeches. i was an only child and spent most of my time around only grown ups. i had been trained to sit for an entire evening while grown ups talked and to remain silent. to me dr. king represented what i heard and read from the bible more than the people around me. they said in church that Jesus loved all the little kids of all races, they showed missionarys in far away lands, ect. BUT when you listened to them outside of church it was ni**er this and ni**er that and all kinds of hatefull things. even my biological mother was full of hatred. thank GOD for my dad that drug me all over houston to the all black high school football games on friday nights, and to revivals at black churches.
this is hard to share with ya'll but i remember my biological mother asking me why i was crying over a dead ni**er, and then remember my dad coming home after work and holding me and telling me it was alright to cry and wiping the tears from my eyes. then i remember the horrible fighting between my parents that went on late into the night.

That's a great post Mom - thanks for sharing.