Today, April 4th, 2018 marked 50 years since the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. here in my home city of Memphis, Tennessee. Worldwide, it’s one of two things the city is really known for – the other being Elvis Presley.
Much like Elvis, the assassination of MLK is one of those things that unless you wind up being around the right person, or in the right area of town, never really comes up in your day to day life living here. Memphians don’t think about it, probably because of just how horrible an event it actually was, especially given the history surrounding why he was in the city to begin with – a sanitation worker strike, of all mundane sounding things.
During the 60’s, however, nothing seems mundane. It was a time of incredible change in the United States, and 1968 proved to be one of the most pivotal years in our nations history since the Civil War! We damn near tore ourselves apart as a nation, between a war that wasn’t popular, ethnic groups demanding the rights they deserve as humans, and technology pushing us towards the Moon, something that a decade before had seemed like a dream. In that light, this strike wasn’t just a simple matter of demanding better wages – it was a demand to be treated like a human, and given safe working conditions for the predominantly black sanitation force of Memphis.
This cities history in more ways than I even want to discuss here is built on racism and hatred. The more I read the details as I write this article, the more sick it makes me – elements of my cities history that I never knew till now… partly because I never bothered to look, but also because no one ever wants to admit these darker elements of our still quite recent past.
I’m writing this, of course, in a very “train of thought” fashion. That’s typical with my work, but I feel here it is most appropriate because I want to capture the most raw feelings I have thinking back. Knowing the city I was born in, that I’ve lived in all but a short bit of my time (and very much have a “love – hate” relation with) will forever be the spot where a man who said nothing but what needed to be said, who promoted the best in humanity would be killed – where hatred, for that horrible moment, reigned supreme… it’s not a good feeling, I can say that much.
The worst fact is that, really, the city hasn’t change much. Nor has America, on a whole.
I probably shouldn’t say any more than that. It’s just strange, what they say is true: The more things change, the more they stay the same…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_of_Martin_Luther_King_Jr.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memphis_sanitation_strike
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Civil_Rights_Museum
Oh, and in case you’re wondering – yes, I’ve been to the Civil Rights Museum. I actually should go again sometime soon, now that I’m thinking about it…
Also, reading over the article, this isn’t something I can easily talk about, and I think that shows in the words I wrote above. It isn’t an easy subject to discuss by any means, but I felt like I had to say something, get something out there.
Thank you for reading.