In Memory...

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
January 15, 1929-April 4, 1968

"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."

Martin Luther King, Jr.
"I Have a Dream" delivered August 28 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C.

Edited to add: A few of my Flickr photos were requested by a Canadian photo site...if you would like to see more photos from around the nation related to Dr. King's Day, please click here.

(Please click on the image above...Blogger is cutting off the right-hand portion of this photo)
Images from the Lorraine Motel/National Civil Rights Museum...

Memorial at the site of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King...

The older, original Hotel building of the Lorraine...

Another view of the memorial site. The interior of the room has been left exactly as it was the day of the assassination.

The Lorraine, Motel side...


The gate (incorporating one of his famous quotes) that leads to the gift shop and building from which James Earl Ray committed the assassination.

"I may not get there with you, but I want you to know that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land."

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Mountaintop speech, April 3, 1968, Memphis

Rev. Jesse Jackson, National Civil Rights Museum

My DH and I took our son to see the Mississippi River at flood stage, and then stopped by the National Civil Rights Museum before heading home. Tomorrow is the 40th Anniversary commemoration of Dr Martin Luther King, Jr, and there is quite a bit of preparation and activity at the Museum, originally the Lorraine Hotel (the site of his assassination 40 years ago tomorrow). BTW, today is the 40th anniversary of Dr. King's famous "I've Been to the Mountaintop" speech, delivered April 3 1968, at Mason Temple (Church of God in Christ Headquarters), in Memphis, Tennessee.

When we arrived at the museum, Rev. Jesse Jackson was standing in front of the museum, greeting a few people before going inside the building. My son and I considered walking up to meet him, but he was only outside for a minute or two. The gentleman to the left in the photo seemed very interested in what we were doing...we think he may have been a bodyguard.

All of the major national and international news outlets (CNN, BBC, NBC, etc) were there today (photo above), and will be televising portions of the activities from the museum grounds tomorrow.

Clickable links are in bold color script.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day & the National Civil Rights Museum

Today in the U.S. it is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, honoring the memory and work of Dr Martin Luther King, Jr. A celebration service (shown above) was held this afternoon at the National Civil Rights Museum, which is located in downtown Memphis. The crowd continued on to the right of the photo, and the area around the museum was quite busy today.

The museum is a popular destination for area residents, school groups, and also tourists. The museum was built around the old Lorraine Motel (the site of Dr. King's assassination on April 4, 1968), and the wreath on the balcony is permanent, marking the spot where Dr. King was shot. Please click on photos to enlarge. I will take more detailed photos on a day with a bit less activity, but I thought you might enjoy seeing the celebration held there today.