Even though I am not American, I remember the famous speech Martin Luther King made on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC on 28/08/1963. I have been lucky enough to visit Washington DC and I have stood on the marker where Dr King made his speech.
On our last trip to USA we visited the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee. It is a fabulously, modern museum built around the Lorraine Motel where Martin Luther King was assassinated on 04/04/1968. The museum opened in 1991 and was renovated in 2014. It chronicles key episodes of the American Civil Rights Movement and the legacy of this movement. There are 33 different exhibits. They are shown in a variety of interactive media. You can't get bored and you can spend hours there.
The National Civil Rights Museum is a big two story building attached to the original Lorraine Motel which is seen on the right and below.
There is a wreath at the spot where Martin Luther King was shot. The cars are models of those times and the outside of the motel is unchanged. The rooms where King and his party were staying have also been left as they were. The rest houses exhibitions.
The fight for civil rights story continues on up to the present day. This area explained the incidents involved in getting the right to travel on any bus in any seat. Eradicating whites only areas.There were many life like sculptures of passengers.
Across the road is the Legacy Building. There are three levels devoted to the assassination. The Main Street Rooming House was the building where James Earl Ray fired the fatal shot from a window in a bathroom next to this one. The bathroom is left as it was, filthy.
On our last trip to USA we visited the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee. It is a fabulously, modern museum built around the Lorraine Motel where Martin Luther King was assassinated on 04/04/1968. The museum opened in 1991 and was renovated in 2014. It chronicles key episodes of the American Civil Rights Movement and the legacy of this movement. There are 33 different exhibits. They are shown in a variety of interactive media. You can't get bored and you can spend hours there.
You can do a self guided tour. It starts at the beginning when slaves were taken from Africa.
There are pictures, sculptures, floor maps and videos. This sculpture depicts a trader selling slaves.
In the streets of Memphis there are still reminders of people declaring independence against oppression.
Definitely it is an intersting museum. It worth visiting it.
ReplyDeleteIn view of recent events there is still much to do before we can feel that King's words cease to be relevant. I would love to visit the museum.
ReplyDeleteAs an outside it is incomprehensible how cruel the white people were to the African Americans, and in some places still are.
ReplyDeleteRacism seems to exist in every corner of the world. Will King's dream ever become a reality? I sincerely hope so.
ReplyDeleteRacism does seem to still exist all over, it is sad! The museum does looks interesting.. Have a happy day and week ahead! I wish you and your family a happy,healthy New Year!
ReplyDeleteHow interesting ! I didn't even know that such a museum exists !
ReplyDeleteI don't think we treated our local indigenous as badly in an official manner. Well, maybe we did, but we did not have rules about travelling on buses or which toilets they could use. Without money, they could not travel on buses anyway. I have nightmare memories of South Brisbane in the 70s to the point that I can't recall and don't want to recall. Thanks for the post though. Quite illuminating.
ReplyDeleteImpressive museum I have seen too. So weird to see the scenery in reality when you have only seen those photos of the assassination. It is as if you step back in time.
ReplyDeleteThat was an unforgettable speech. That museum looks amazing. Hug B
ReplyDeleteA world without prejudice is still a dream, I fear. I would very much like to visit this museum.
ReplyDeletei like that last mural and the motel and cars look just like what my youth was when we were traveling from GA to KY and back, in the 50's... i like the statues and it all looks really interesting.
ReplyDeleteand so sad that so much strife and distrust still goes on today.
ReplyDeleteInteresting. In the past i read many books about the slaves of America. I too recall that famous speech.
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a fabulous museum to visit.
ReplyDelete"I have a dream". Are you dreaming up your resolutions for 2015? Even though I try not to I always have a few in mind and at the end of the year find I didn't achieve most of them but had a good year anyway.
Oh my goodness what an awesome place thank you for sharing your visit there with us
ReplyDeleteInteresting.
ReplyDeleteThis is wonderful. We have visited Selma and Charleston and many places reminding us of this sad heritage and I am so glad we did see these places. Coming from the other side of the country , there are not the actual physical reminders. But I did not know about this place and I am sorry we missed it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your visit to this museum. I have heard that it is excellent, but have never had the opportunity to visit.
ReplyDeleteI would like to visit this museum one day. Thank you for sharing it Diane.
ReplyDeleteThat would be such an interesting place to visit. Thanks for sharing Diane
ReplyDelete