Martin Luther King Jr. stood on the balcony in front
of his room at the Lorraine Motel when he was assassinated 46 years ago
today.
It was 6:01 p.m. on April 4, 1968 in Memphis, Tenn.
After being shot, he was immediately transported to a hospital, but at
7:05 p.m., he was pronounced dead.
He was 39 years old. He’d spent his life fighting
for civil rights, spearheading the movement. The Civil Rights Act was
signed in 1964. The act stated that “discrimination based on 'race,
color, religion, or national origin' in public establishments (hotels,
motels, trailer parks, restaurants, gas stations, bars, taverns, and
places of entertainment) that has a connection to interstate commerce or
is supported by the state is prohibited.”
However, as far as we have come since the 1960s, we still haven’t achieved true equality. There is more work to do.
Great column!
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