If he couldn’t get a city government to cooperate, Martin decided to go higher up. Martin and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference planned another march to Washington, D.C., for the spring of 1968. The purpose was to get Congress to pass laws that would help poor people get better jobs.
Before the big march, Martin Luther King, Jr., went to Memphis, Tennessee. Garbage workers were on strike. Martin wanted to help them get a pay raise.
On March 28, 1968, Martin and the peaceful protestors set out on the streets of Memphis. Once again, the result was violence. But it was caused by some of the marchers. Some teenagers broke into local stores and stole things. A riot began. This went against everything that Martin stood for. Martin returned home to Atlanta and did not come back to Memphis until April 3. Many people were threatening to hurt Martin. But Martin was not afraid. He still hoped to help the striking garbage workers.
Martin met with some of the other city and civil rights leaders the next day. Later that evening, Martin stepped out onto the balcony of his room at the Lorraine Motel. It was chilly outside, but Martin was enjoying the fresh air. Suddenly, a gunshot rang out. Martin fell to the ground.
Martin Luther King, Jr., was dead. The civil rights movement had lost its strongest voice.
JAMES EARL RAY
On JUNE 8, 1968, A WHITE MAN NAMED JAMES EARL RAY WAS ARRESTED FOR KILLING MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. JAMES EARL RAY WAS BORN In ALTON, ILLINOIS, On MARCH 10, 1928. RAY WAS A SMALL-TIME CRIMINAL. HE ROBBED GAS STATIONS AND STORES. HE WAS In PRISON THREE TIMES--ONCE In ILLINOIS AND TWICE In MISSOURI.
AFTER RAY WAS ARRESTED, HE CONFESSED. HE WAS SENTENCED TO NINETY-NINE YEARS In PRISON. HOWEVER, RAY LATER CLAIMED HE WAS INNOCENT BUT COULD NEVER PROVE IT. In 1998, RAY DIED In PRISON. |