RF23 - April 4, 1968

April 4, 1968 -  I was surfing facebook, twitter and other sites to see how many blacks took the time out of their day and recognized that today is the fiftieth anniversary of Dr. King’s assassination.   I had the privilege of visiting the site of where the literal last civil rights leader died.  We already lost Malcom X and Medgar Evars prior to April 4, 1968 and Dr. King was the last man standing and taking causes that helped the poor, continued to fight for equal opportunity for blacks and even took the stance against the Vietnam War.  At the time of his death, he was in Memphis, TN., supporting equal opportunities for Trash Workers.   Today, I thought, dang, I turn 50 this year and it’s also the fiftieth anniversary of the death of one of the Civil Rights titans.   I thought about my visit to Lorraine Motel and when I thought about it, I instantly thought about Jacqueline Smith.  Who is Jacqueline Smith?  If you’ve been to the Lorraine Motel..You know exactly, who I’m talking about. For those in the dark.  Smith is a woman who has been protesting in front of the Lorraine Motel for over 30 years.

By. Her. self.

You see, I didn’t talk to Smith, but my wife, being her social self, did.  And she told my wife that site, where King was shot by allegedly James Earl Ray is now a museum, not owned by blacks and it shouldn’t be owned by whites. 

She’s right.

 

The attached article, where she was interviewed 4 years ago, shows her views and displeasure hasn’t changed.  The attached article and my November 2017 visit showed one thing.

 

She’s.  by. Herself.

Article:  https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/local/wp/2014/05/16/a-one-woman-protest-at-the-lorraine-motel/?utm_term=.e2baf220572e