I interviewed my mom's uncle. When asked what age he was in 1968 he responded with "I was 20 years old, turning 21 in Oct. of ‘68." When asked where he lived his said "I lived aboard the USS Belknap, which was home ported in Norfolk, VA. Prior to that I lived with my family in Southhaven, MS, but had joined the Navy in 1965, shortly after completing a semester of college at Northwest Mississippi Jr. College." I asked he what it was like "Life in the Mid-South as a teenager was a “fun time” for me. I played sports and held down a part time job to pay for gas and spending money. I remember the city was competing with Nashville to see which would grow and transition to a modern metropolis. Professional sports teams liked Memphis and some large industries had begun assessing the potential (labor force, transportation modes & political climate) of each area (Mid-South & Nashville Metro) for them to expand their manufacturing and other services to." When asked what it was like living in Memphis at the time the reply I got was " My personal belief is that Martin Luther King’s death started the decision making process that saw Nashville’s growth and Memphis’ stagnation and never coming close to maximizing it’s potential to become a thriving hub of transportation and manufacturing." I then asked him what was life like " I was at the end of my initial tour of duty with the Navy and had been accepted at Memphis State University. I kept up with the news at home because I was focused on continuing college and ultimately finding a long-term career with a company located in the Mid- South." What was a typical day like for you, school?, "I had taken correspondence courses when possible.", work?, "My day was usually 12 hours and consisted of operating the ship’s electrical generators and maintaining other equipment." How was life different from back then " I completed college, decided to continue my military career, and that led to duty assignments both in and out of the Mid-South. I watched an area with growth potential essentially die; while Nashville grew rapidly into the thriving metropolis it is today. I watched racial tension and politics grow to a point in the Mid- South, that I was embarrassed to tell people where I called home." What do you remember about the day King was assassinated "His death was not a surprise considering the racial tension in Memphis at that time." What was different than normal? " I recall that MLK and others had come to Memphis to march with Memphis sanitation union workers. They were striking for various issues. At that time MLK in Memphis to support the union was thought of as just another way to bring the topic of civil rights to the national stage." How did this make you feel? " I was not surprised when I heard that he had been shot. I felt that MLK’s involvement in the march gave more radical elements that supported the union’s cause, the opportunity to use him for inciting others to escalate the march into an all out race riot." What did you think? " Considering the racial tension on both sides of the civil rights movement at that time, plus the location, I thought the incident was predictable." At the time of the new King was assassinated where were you? "I was working on the ship and very happy we had made it through an 18-month assignment in Viet Nam. The ship was returning to port in Norfolk within 24 hours." How did you react to this situation? "I thought killing him was a senseless act that people did to prevent change." How did people around you react to the situation? "Some were sad and others said he got what he deserved. Many that kept up with the national political situation, recognized that change was happening and MLK’s death would not slow the process." How did things change throughout the night? "The issue was over shadowed by the enthusiasm of the ship returning home safely after enduring an 18-month assignment in Viet Nam." Where you the night of the assassination? " I was onboard the ship off the coast of Virginia." What was the city like? "The newscasts we listened to reported tensions were high on both sides and the police were doing everything possible to keep the peace." How did you view King both before and after his death? "I believe that MLK was a man that got caught up in the issue of change in the name of civil rights. He became by default the popular choice to get out front and lead a movement. He lost his life in doing so. He became a symbol that others used to move the cause forward. Did life change after King's assassination? " Not immediately. The civil rights movement over the past 50 plus years has forced change and improved the quality of life for US citizens as a whole. It is sad that the US wastes the potential residing in it diverse population, by allowing a small group of “opportunists” to keep the wound from healing." After King's assassination did people act or view problems differently?
" Yes. There will always be elements on both sides of an issue that resists change. This like other civil rights related issues such as tearing down the Berlin Wall and the current turmoil in the Middle East are a result of people “demanding change”." Did you think people attitude changed?, "Yes. But look at this question from a time perspective. As time moves on, the MLK death is used by historians to support their own personal ideology of whether the civil rights movement is a good thing or not. My generation (both for and against the civil rights movement) has a different attitude about whether it is good or not. Remember we were there and don’t need recorded history for our situational assessment.Fast forward to your generation. Your group must use recorded history and interviews from others sharing their view of the issue as they remember it. How can you be sure that your research will yield accurate facts for use in determining your attitude regarding this issue?My personally believe that improving the personal freedoms for all US citizens is a good thing." Is there anything in your life during this time that we haven't discussed that you'd like to add?, " Over the past 67 years I’ve personally watched change affect the “people in my life.” Some things have improved their quality of life while others have had an adverse impact. What concerns me is social media and other communications tools have provided the means for individuals with views not accepted by the majority of the population to gain traction. These nameless few state they are offended about something and the majority allows them the forum to share in the name of political correctness.
The majority should voice their opposition! Maybe the whiners would stop getting offended by everything that the least little thing upsets them."