Civil Rights champion Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee on this day 45 years ago- April 4th, 1968. Martin Luther King was in Memphis in support of striking sanitation workers. The night before he gave what is now called his “I’ve Been To The Mountaintop” speech. He was staying at the Lorraine Motel. At 6:01 pm King was standing out on the balcony on the second floor when he saw shot. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but nothing could be done. He was declared dead at 7:05pm. One of the terrible events of a terrible decade in America.

An outstanding recent book on the assassination is “Hellhound On His Trail” by Hampton Sides which covers the movement of the assassin James Earl Ray and Dr. King leading up  and after the assassination. PBS also had an excellent documentary “The Road To Memphis” a couple years ago which is well worth watching.