Lorraine Motel in Memphis Tennessee where Martin L. King Jnr was assassinated
Martin Luther King, Jr., was an American clergyman and civil rights leader who was fatally shot at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 4, 1968. King was rushed to St. Joseph's Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 7:05 that evening. He was a prominent leader of the Civil Rights Movement and Nobel Peace Prize laureate who was known for his use of non-violence and civil disobedience. James Earl Ray, a fugitive from the Missouri State Penitentiary, was arrested on June 8, 1968, in London at Heathrow Airport, extradited to the United States, and charged with the crime. On March 10, 1969, Ray entered a plea of guilty and was sentenced to 99 years in the Tennessee State Penitentiary. Ray later made many attempts to withdraw his guilty plea and be tried by a jury, but was unsuccessful; he died in prison on April 23, 1998, at the age of 70. On Thursday, April 4, 1968, King was staying in room 306 at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis. The motel was owned by businessman Walter Bailey and named after his wife. Reverend Ralph David Abernathy, a colleague and friend, later told the House Select Committee on Assassinations that he and King had stayed in room 306 at the Lorraine Motel so often that it was known as the "King–Abernathy Suite". According to biographer Taylor Branch, King's last words were to musician Ben Branch, who was scheduled to perform that night at a planned event. King said, "Ben, make sure you play Take My Hand, Precious Lord' in the meeting tonight. Play it real pretty. King had gone out onto the balcony and was standing near his room when he was struck at 6:01 , by a single .30-06 bullet. A slate pavement marks the trajectory of the bullet
Size: 4016px × 6016px
Location: Lorraine Motel, Memphis,Tennessee USA
Photo credit: © Brenda Kean / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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