The Assassination of Martin Luther King 1968

Aims: Examine the impact of the assassination of Martin Luther King in 1968.

Changing Support By the late 1960s Martin Luther King’s popularity was decreasing: He was less popular among young Blacks who were attracted to the Black Panthers He criticised the USA’s involvement in the Vietnam war. He criticised the government for failing to spend enough money to help the poor.

Despite increasing pressures Martin Luther King never changed his views; he still believed in non-violence and he believed the support of whites was essential if more civil rights were to be won. King believed that the USA needed to be an integrated society. “The American Negro is neither totally African nor totally western. He is Afro-American…a combination of two cultures…The solution to our problem will not come through seeking to build a separate nation within a nation…America must be a nation in which its people are partners in power.”

March in Memphis, 1968 In 1968 King was planning another march on Washington – a Poor Peoples’ March – to protest about poverty in cities. In April, he went to Memphis, Tennessee to support a strike by rubbish collectors – most of whom were black and poorly paid. The night before the march he made his last public speech. “We have got some difficult days ahead…Like anybody I would like to live a long life…but I’m not concerned about that now…I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you but I want you to know that we as a people will get to the promised land.”

Assassination Shortly after making this speech Martin Luther King stood on the balcony of his motel room. At this moment an escaped convict called James Earl Ray shot him in the neck. He died shortly afterwards in hospital – he was 39 years old. Riots erupted in 168 US cities. 70,000 US troops were needed to restore order. The non-violent Civil Rights Movement came to an end with the death of Martin Luther King.

James Earl Ray was convicted of King’s murder and sentenced to 99 years in prison. But he later retracted his confession and said he had been only a minor player in a conspiracy. However, his appeals for a new trial were rejected and he died in prison in 1998. Ray was supported by some members of Martin Luther King's family who believed the US Government may have been involved in Dr King's death. However, in June 2000 after an investigation the US Justice Department said it had uncovered no reliable evidence of a conspiracy.

‘He gave people a dream to live for’ Jesse Haley, Friend of Martin Luther King

The Importance of Martin Luther King He helped Blacks to achieve their Civil Rights He used the media to bring Civil Rights to the nation’s attention He organised the Civil Rights Movement The Importance of Martin Luther King He attracted support from White and Black Americans He gave people hope that change could be achieved