Assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. |
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Martin Luther King, Jr.
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| Location | Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Date | April 4, 1968 6:01 p.m. (Central Time) |
| Target | Martin Luther King, Jr. |
| Weapons | Remington 760 Gamemaster |
| Perpetrators |
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Martin Luther King, Jr. was a very important American leader. He led the civil rights movement and won the Nobel Peace Prize. On April 4, 1968, he was shot and killed at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. He was 39 years old.
King was quickly taken to St. Joseph's Hospital. He died there at 7:05 that evening. He was famous for using nonviolence and peaceful protests to fight for equal rights for African Americans.
James Earl Ray, who had escaped from prison, was arrested. He was accused of killing King. Ray was sent to prison for 99 years. He died in prison when he was 70.
The King family and others believe that the U.S. government was part of a conspiracy to kill King. This idea came from Loyd Jowers in 1993. They think Ray was just a scapegoat, meaning someone blamed for something they didn't do alone. In 1999, the King family sued Jowers. They said Jowers and others were part of a plan to kill King. The jury agreed that Jowers and "others were part of a conspiracy to kill King."
The Shooting Incident
On Thursday, April 4, 1968, King was staying in room 306 at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis. The motel was owned by Walter Bailey and named after his wife. Reverend Ralph Abernathy, who was King's friend, said they often stayed in Room 306. They even called it the "King–Abernathy Suite."
Rev. Samuel Kyles was standing nearby. He saw King leaning over the balcony railing. King was talking with Rev. Jesse Jackson. At 6:01 p.m., a shot was fired. King was hit in the face by a single bullet. The bullet came from a Remington Model 760 rifle. King fell backward onto the balcony. He was unconscious.
Abernathy heard the shot from inside the room. He ran to the balcony. He found King bleeding badly. Andrew Young, another friend, first thought King was dead. But he found King still had a pulse.
King was rushed to St. Joseph's Hospital. Doctors tried to save him. But he never woke up. He died at 7:05 p.m.
Soon after the shot, witnesses saw a man running away. This man was later believed to be James Earl Ray. He was fleeing from a rooming house across the street. Ray had been renting a room there. Police found a package nearby. It had a rifle and binoculars. Both had Ray's fingerprints. Ray had bought the rifle using a fake name six days before.
What Happened Next
After King was killed, there were many riots and protests. These happened in at least 110 cities across the U.S.. Washington, Chicago, and Baltimore had the most damage.
On June 10, 1968, James Earl Ray was arrested. This happened in London at Heathrow Airport. Ray was sent back to the United States. He was charged with killing King. On March 10, 1969, Ray said he was guilty in court. He was sentenced to 99 years in prison. Ray later tried many times to change his plea. He wanted a trial by a jury, but he was not successful.
A special group was formed in 1976. It was called the United States House of Representatives Select Committee on Assassinations. Their job was to look into the killings of John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr. They also looked into the shooting of Governor George Wallace. The Committee finished its work in 1978. They released a report in 1979. About King's assassination, the Committee decided:
- James Earl Ray did kill King with one rifle shot.
- It was "likely" that this was part of a conspiracy. This probably involved Ray and his brothers.
- The U.S. government was not part of this conspiracy.
In 1999, Coretta Scott King, King's widow, and his family won their lawsuit. They sued Loyd Jowers and "other unknown co-conspirators." Jowers said he was paid $100,000 to help plan King's killing. The jury found Jowers responsible for King's murder. They also found that government groups were part of the plan.
James Earl Ray died in prison on April 23, 1998. He was 70 years old.
In 2000, the Department of Justice finished its own investigation. They looked into Jowers' claims. They did not find proof to support the conspiracy ideas. Their report said no more investigation was needed. This would only change if new, reliable facts appeared.
Today, the Lorraine Motel is a civil rights museum.
Images for kids
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Damage after the 1968 Washington, D.C., riots.
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Garment workers listening to King's funeral service on a radio (April 9, 1968).
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The tomb of Martin Luther King and Coretta Scott King at the King Center in Atlanta.
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The former "New Rebel Motel" where James Earl Ray stayed.
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The former boarding house room from which Ray is believed to have fired.
See also
In Spanish: Asesinato de Martin Luther King para niños
