The average American will experience many trials and tribulations throughout their life as a young man or woman. Those living in Memphis, Tennessee during 1968, on the other hand would encounter a little bit more than the average. Martin Luther king junior was a man of many dreams, hopes and awe inspiring ideas. He influenced millions of people not in just the United States alone, but throughout the entire world. To some people he was the light to their darkness, he gave them hope when all they could see was despair. At the time we lived in a world full of old, grimy, and selfish ideas. Slavery had ended and the African American community had been trying to regain their rights as human beings, and never look back as being seen as "property". King was the voice of the people. He was a strong believer in if you want to accomplish something you need to go out and snatch it out of the "hands of ideas". But on April 4th, 1968 the world would change.
William V. (Bill) had just reached the age of 26 during 1968. He was husband of Carmen V., and could be considered as what we call the average American. He was living in Memphis at the time and went about his life just like anyone else would. He went to work in the morning at Road Builders equipment Company just half a mile from the Lorraine Motel where King happened to be staying at to prepare for his peaceful march in the city. Bill was none the less a born and bread "Memphian", he loved the city, he had grown up here, this was his home and now where he would establish his life. In contrast he stated in the recent years the Memphis had lost its sparkle, and was now beginning to dull. Bill described it as " if you were to look into our city through a freshly cleaned window you would only see the fog on the window your breath had made-grey and blinding".
Living in Memphis had now become freighting and scary Mr.V. described to me. Working downtown did not make it any easier. You had a curfew of 5:00 in the afternoon. You had to be off the streets or you were to be reprimanded. It wasn't safe. Before when you could walk down the streets to relieve the stress of long work day, but now you were too scared to even look out a window. There were guards, tons of them, too many to count. They even brought in the National Guard to take control of the garbage strikes, and riots that had broken out because our city was in the state of mind that we were going to get what we deserved no matter the cost. April 4th, everything would change. Bill was still at work when he got the news that Martin Luther King had been shot to death. He overheard it on the radio and began to tune in to see if what he thought he heard was true. But in fact, it was, April 4th, 1968 was the day. Mr.V. was shocked, he wasn't so surprised, but he was awe-struck that it had happened in his city. Something so cruel happened in the place he loved. He remembers Martin stressing the importance that this be a peaceful march. The days to come after this would be nothing near peaceful.
After Bill got home that night, he would turn on the radio to learn more. He remembers the patrons wondering if this was all just s hoax. When the truth was finally revealed after long hours glued to the radio and television people needed a way to mourn. They started riots, held candle lightings, even started shrines on the streets of Memphis and around the world. James Earl Ray had put out the only light the African Americans had in the world. William explained that even after the tragedy the city amazingly almost was "slapped in the face" from the murder. The death of their hero would cause the city to do a complete 360. Out of this better relationships were born, people would learn to get along because they needed each other in these hours. Everyone would begin to get along just as King had dreamed.
Thousands of organizations had come together after the incident to help the community. As William stated it, "the cooler heads would prevail", meaning the area had now realized violence wasn't the answer. There was an attitude shift. Many of the Americans, including William didn't appreciate what Mr.King was saying in the beginning, but now they would. They realized what he was saying was busting at the seams with truth. If you were going to change the world you needed to go out and do it, but with a calm state of mind.
Martin Luther king junior may have died April 4th 1968 but his spirit still lives on. We as Americans learned something that day. A part of us was taken and replaced with something better that God had in store for us. In a way we benefitted from this tragedy. Memphis went form a happy go lucky town, to a dark and dreary hole in the ground, back to an inspired city with the will to work for their dreams. William V. calls himself at the age of 72 a privileged man to have lived through such a time. "Going through the ups and downs of life and still being able to recuperate and better yourself shows your true character", William V.. He believes, along with everyone else Kings dream lives on, even if his plans for our country may have not been completed. But in the eyes of God he had a different plan. One that would continue to live on forever even if we may never know the ending.