Humbling Visit to Site of MLK Jr’s Assassination

On April 4, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was shot and killed while standing outside of room 306 on the balcony at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis. Today, that location is a place of remembrance.

While in Memphis for a conference this past weekend, I took a walk down to the Lorraine Motel, which is now the home of the National Civil Rights Museum. It was humbling to be so close to a location that was a monumental part of our history.

The museum was closed, so it was eerily quiet. It wasn't until I arrived at the motel that I realized it was only a few days from MLK Jr. Day, so there was some activity preparing for Vice President Pence's visit to the site.

There's a wreath hanging over the railing where Dr. King was assassinated. The cars that were parked outside the room are in the same location as they were in 1968.

Here is a video of the National Civil Rights Museum at Lorraine Motel in Memphis, TN: