Photos

This is the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. On April 4, 1868, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was standing in front of room 306, where he had been staying right before he was to lead a march of sanitation workers protesting against low wages and poor working conditions. As he stood on the balcony, he was hit in the neck by a bullet fired at him from a high-powered rifle. The assassination ended the life of one of America's most important civil rights leaders. Upon news of King's death, riots broke out across America. Dozens died. But the movement had a martyr, and it would not be stopped. It couldn't be. The long legacy of hatred, brutality and discrimination was being dismantled -- at least in its legal sense.

Today, despite the great strides made by blacks in the United States, African Americans still suffer from systematic discrimination. Today, in the supposedly "greatest country on earth," the economic status of African Americans is 56 percent that of white Americans. Some 73% of black men coming out of high school are unemployed.

Of black males born this year, 29 percent can expect to spend some time behind bars.

One in 14 black children has a parent in jail or prison.

One in 20 black men is incarcerated, compared with one in 155 white men.

For every three black men in college, four are in prison.

Despite this, or maybe because of it, Americans celebrate the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. every year on the third Monday of January.

This year, I was in Memphis for the holiday. This photo was taken at the Lorraine Motel, which is now the National Civil Rights museum -- a fascinating and important institution that should be visited by every American.

The museum has been incorporated into the carefully preserved motel. In addition to exploring an extensive array of exhibits about the history of the civil rights movements in the U.S., visitors can view room 306 where Dr. King was staying right before he died, perfectly preserved, just as it was.

Cameras are not allowed in the museum, but I was taking photos outside when I saw these three girls pointing at room 306.

Later, in the museum, in an exhibit about the assassination, I saw THIS ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO.

Amazing, huh?

(Well, I thought it was, and I still do. Perhaps others might not think so.)

In case it's not apparent, those men in the Associated Press photo are pointing in the direction of the shot, which came from a housing project across the street.

Many doubts remain about who killed Dr. King, but the murder is generally ascribed to a down-and-out loner named James Earl Ray.

Ray later retracted his confession, however. To this day, many believe the U.S. government was involved in a conspiracy to kill one of America's most important freedom fighters.

Another photo is posted HERE at TrekLens.