The Assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Dr. King was shot on April 4, 1968, as he stood on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. The civil rights leader had come to Memphis to lead a protest march of striking sanitation workers. Dr. King was 39 years old when he died.

The assassination led to riots in over 100 cities across the country, forcing President Lyndon Johnson to send out over 40,000 troops to keep the peace. Over 100,000 mourners attended Dr. King’s funeral on April 9.

James Earl Ray was convicted of the murder. Ray was a burglar who had escaped from prison a year earlier. He confessed to the assassination and was given a 99-year prison sentence. Ray later took back his confession. He said that there was a conspiracy to kill Dr. King that involved the U.S. government. This has not been proven, and Ray died in prison in 1998.

Dr. King’s death came after thirteen years of dedication to the fight for civil rights in America. He first came to national prominence when he helped lead the 1955 Alabama bus boycott. He was known for his use of non-violent protest and his eloquent speeches. In 1963, Dr. King led a huge march on Washington, D.C., where he gave his famous “I have a dream” speech.

Related Links

• Map of Tennessee
  Tennessee map showing Memphis in the southwest corner. Includes a locator map to situate Tennessee within the U.S.
  (Source: Tennessee Trivia)
• A Moment Frozen in Time: Witnesses Recall King’s Death
  An interactive exploration of Dr. King’s assassination, includes a map of the area of Memphis where King was killed, with links to information about everyone involved.
  (Source: CNN)
• On This Day: 4 April, 1968: Martin Luther King Shot Dead
  The BBC’s On This Day coverage of Dr. King’s assassination. Includes an audio report of the reaction to Kings death in the U.S.
  (Source: BBC)
• King Encyclopedia
  Detailed account of the assassination and its aftermath.
  (Source: The MLK, Jr. Research and Education Institute)