April 4, 1968: Martin Luther King, Jr. is assassinated.
The night before his assassination, King delivered his last speech at Mason Temple in Memphis, Tennessee; popularly known as “I’ve Been to the Mountain”, this speech was made in support of the Memphis Sanitation Workers Strike and called upon the United States to “be true to what you said on paper”. At the end of his speech, King famously foreshadowed his own death:
Like anybody, I would like to live - a long life; longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will. And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land. So I’m happy, tonight. I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.
Over the years, King had been the recipient of countless death threats, including a bomb threat made against him on his way to Memphis, and so he had become accustomed to the possibility that he might suffer a premature death as so many civil rights workers and leaders had before him.
At around 6 PM, King was standing on the balcony outside his room at Memphis’ Lorraine Motel when he was struck by a single bullet through the cheek, fired from a pump-action rifle wielded by James Earl Ray, who shortly afterward fled north to Canada. After being taken to the hospital, King was pronounced dead five minutes after 7. All across the United States, violent riots in Baltimore, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and elsewhere broke out during the week following the assassination, though notably not in Indianapolis, where Robert F. Kennedy (who would be assassinated two months later) had delivered arguably his most famous speech informing the city’s residents of King’s death. The funeral, which took place on April 9, was attended by 300,000 people, and a bill to establish a holiday in his honor was presented in Congress not long after. King’s family, and many others besides, maintain that James Earl Ray (a small-time criminal) was the scapegoat of a conspiracy involving the U.S. government and FBI. It is fact that the FBI’s COINTELPRO closely monitored King’s (and other “subversives’) activities intensely, often through illegal and dubious means, such as wiretapping and anonymous letters urging him to commit suicide.
(via blueeyes-auburnhair)
The best tribute to Roger Ebert would be to read the words about film he wrote. I’m going to go through the posts bohemea made last year that quoted his best reviews and reblogged them today.
Her friends on the Yellow Brick Road (the Tin Man, the Scarecrow, the Cowardly Lion) were projections of every child’s secret fears. Are we real? Are we ugly and silly? Are we brave enough? In helping them, Dorothy was helping herself, just as an older child will overcome fears by acting brave before a younger one.
Roger Ebert on The Wizard of Oz
(Source: rogerebert.suntimes.com)
Potterheads, a member of the Harry Potter cast passed away today. Vernon Dursley, a member of the cast since the very start. Rest in peace. Richard Griffiths (1947-2013)
(via adventuresinstorybrooke)
Marco McMillian, Gay Man of Color and Candidate for Mayor, Murdered in Mississippi
On Wednesday, Marco McMillian was found dead on a Mississippi River levee. He was a gay man of…
August 25th, 1969
RIP you magnificent cunt ♥
(Source: classifiedhumanity, via blueeyes-auburnhair)
R.I.P to the victims who were so cruelly taken from us today in Connecticut. We lost twenty children and seven adults today. Forever remembered.
STOP WHAT YOU’RE DOING.
Paul Davis (the man who killed Osama Bin Laden) was, according to reports, killed today in battle.
I know the election is important, but show some support for a truly amazing person.
(via benedikutokanbabatchi)
Rest in Peace, Michael Clarke Duncan
December 10, 1957 – September 3, 2012
(Source: jamesbadgedale, via marielikestodraw)
PLEASE READ
This is my friend and her girlfriend. The girl on the right was killed last night, by what is thought to be a hate crime. They were on a date. They were both shot and dumped in tall grass. They were found this morning by a couple while they were out for a walk. (This is all we know right now)
Mollie has passed but her girlfriend, Kristene, is still alive. She is in very critical condition with a gunshot wound to the head. Please pray for her. Think about them. Pass this on. Something. Please. We need her to come through so the people that did this can be put in their rightful spot.You will always be Loved and never forgotten, Mollie.
Rest in Peace, Sweetheart.<3
And since I just got messages saying this was fake, here’s the article: http://www.kiiitv.com/story/18864976/update
(Source: illseeyasoonthen, via i-am-a-child-of-time)