Debbi C. by Elan C., Margolin Hebrew Academy-Cooper Yeshiva School

Elan C.: Where did you live at the time of the shooting?
Debbi C.: I lived in East Memphis at the time.
EC: Describe your life in 1968. How was it different from today?
DC: Back then, I was in school, so it was really a different situation back then than it is for me today. I currently live in Jerusalem, Israel, and work as a photographer.

EC: What do you remember about the day King was assassinated? What was different than normal? How did you feel? What did you think? Where were you when you heard? How did you react? How did people around you react?
DC: Chaos. Everyone in the city was pretty shocked, and they put in a city curfew. I remember feeling really scared at the time. Memphis was really chaotic, and I just remember how scary that day was. I’m not exactly sure, but I believe I was babysitting for my teacher after school. I’m not so sure, and I really do not remember much else.

EC: What did you think of King before and after his death?

DC: Honestly, I really did not think much about him before his death. I read about him a bit, but I did not really think much of him until he was killed in Memphis.
EC: Did life change at all after his death? Did people act different or view problems differently? Do you think people’s attitudes changed?

DC: After his death, I had felt a lot more attached to him. I started looking at the effects of his movement. I feel like people thought better of him, and started to realize what he was all about. Life did not change much, but I thought about him and the importance of his actions much more after he was gone.