The person I interviewed was Forrest K. H. This man was a police officer on the streets of Memphis on the day of the assassination. Mr. Forrest lived 2410 Nunnelee, 38127 (Frayser). He was happily married with two children, one in the way. "Mostly everyone respected (feared) and obeyed the police. I say it's changed 100 percent, people have much less respect for the police and have become very rebellious. Crimes were much rarer and less violent, but it seems like there are murders every day in the modern world," says Forrest. At this time, Forrest H. was a lieutenant on the Memphis Police Force, often just at the station taking cakes or doing street patrols, working on the 3-11 shift. This year, however was a but more different than any other year he had ever had.
During that time, there was much rioting, marching, and striking. It was mostly like a Civil a rights Act day in and day out, and the garbage men were almost always on strike. The garbage men wanted better pay and better supplies while working but never received it. This led to the "scabs" (men who took the place of the people on strike) taking charge of the garbage trucks, which actually caused more uprising and shootings at the "scabs". One hung that really stood out about the 1960's, though, were all about Martin Luther King Jr.'s marches and riots about the Civil Rights Act going on, and not only in Memphis.
On April 4, 1968, the day of the assassination, it was the usual riots, but it had quieted a bit while King Jr. was in town. Forrest on that day was on duty with the Memphis Police Department, a lieutenant of the Northwest Precinct. He was out on patrol and got a call by police radio saying, "All police card, report, Martin Luther King Jr.'s been shot! I repeat, Martin Luther King Jr.'s been shot! Over." This left Lieutenant H. in shock, not knowing truly he into reply. His partner and he quickly reported back to the police station to get word on certain places to maintain. Then, the violent marches started.
The squad Forrest was out in was a special, important one. They were set up at the St. Georgia Hospital to protect King Jr. at all costs for his safety and others who were within that same hospital. Eventually, the riots began roaring up even more, causing more men to be called out to the hospital-watch squad and more out to the streets. While all of this was happening, Forrest had to stay at work for three to four days, merely getting short meal and sleep breaks, but no time to go home and relax. The riots, shootings, robbing, and marches increased in size.
"The dirty was just in turmoil," Forrest said. "Being stuck at work without ever getting to see my family during this was awful." He was completely stuck at work throughout the night, the dark police station filled with calls all about the city's insanity, not to mention having to dial the street patrol runs. You can pretty much summarize all of this by saying, "The city of Memphis was where all Heck broke loose."
"Before, I believed Martin Luther King Jr. was a smart man who wanted to lead peaceful marches and change the world... But after his death, I truly knew our society had lost a great leader who could've helped America," Forrest said, thinking about the change of possibility after King's death.
But, there was also a good change in the world as well, or at least it did to Forrest H. The world started to get better! Blacks began to gain more rights in schools, restaurants, work places, and even bathrooms. The riots eventually began to die down after King's death because they began to really think about King Jr.'s last speech, not to mention the long, hard help from the policemen too though.
So, finally in the end, with great help from many people, Martin Luther King Jr.'s work was fulfilled in the world because things did change for the better. Equal rights, freedom, and peace did spread, but America still has much to work on to fulfill King Jr.'s complete Dream.