40 Years ago

In the April 7, 2008 edition of Time Magazine, I read an article titled “The Ghosts of Memphis” by David Von Drehle. On the 40th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, April 4, 1968, the author interviewed the men who were with him that day. The author also reflects on American’s progress towards realizing Dr. King’s dream. When King was 26, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on the bus and by 39 he was dead. The years between have made a big difference.

According to Rev. Billy Kyles, on the faithful day, King and his friends had a pillow fight in his motel, were surrounded by gospel music and soul food. He said within this forty years, we made progress but he said that Dr. King would be disappointed with the anger inside the children of the black nation. Rev. James Belevel said on that day he felt his friend Bernard LaFayette shot a firecracker but it was not. He feels it is ashame today that the man who killed Dr. King did not go to court. He feels that ended the nonviolent movement, when we would not stand up for the justice question. Rev. Jesse Jackson said the police were coming towards them and not going to were the bullet came from. He said that today we are now free but not equal. Jackson feels we must focus on the economic investments to close the gaps. Andrew Young said that he questioned Dr. King for not wearing a coat on that cool evening. He said that today very few people have been able to deal with the poorest of the poor. This he said Dr. King was doing at the time of his death.

On the night before his death King said, “Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place.” Dr. King did not live a long life. His did take the time with people and tried to make the world a better place through nonviolence. This could be used in my classroom for examining civil rights and showing the path it has taken.