How MLK’s death affected a nation, as told by those who remember it
The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Rev. Ralph Abernathy in a march on behalf of striking sanitation workers in Memphis, Tenn., days before King was shot and killed.
(Sam Melhorn / Associated Press)
Martin Luther King Jr. had traveled to Memphis, Tenn., in late March 1968 to lead a protest march in support of the city’s striking sanitation workers. Violence had followed, with police descending on the protesters with billy clubs, mace and tear gas.
The next week, King returned to get court permission for another march. Despite the death threats he had received, and the growing concern for his safety, King pressed to hold a nonviolent demonstration.
good evening everyone, thanks for joining us. i m adam may. the powerful system uprooted trees in carol county and tonight many families are cleaning up. our extensive coverage begins with carol lynne tonight. that s where the storm has killed more than 20 people. reporter: this time lapse video shows storms descending on raleigh. one of the hardest hit areas were pertige county where only a couple 100 people live. tornadoes tore houses from their foundation, picked up cars and left only foundations. i saw this twister coming. it was just twisting. i told my wife, hit the bathroom. as soon as we hit the bathroom floor, the whole roof just flew. reporter: laguedy had prayers of her own when she could not reach her inlaws. i had a gut feeling when i could not reach them. i know how close they were to where it hit. reporter: the door, the entire home was gone. the tornado killed her inlaws. the storm hit her home and threw them into the floor. she was visiting the coup