My name is Mattie T. and I was 45 years old during the time of Martin Luther King's assassination. I live in South Memphis on Doris Street. During that time, everything was mostly serrated. Church was a like a gathering where we got a chance to fellowship with family and friends. Beale Street stood out the most to me. It was like an entertainment place for the community. I was married and had nine children. My husband worked on the railroad at night. My children went to the black schools in the neighborhood. I lived in a two bedroom home, one bathroom, one kitchen, and one living room. I also worked for a white family. The sanitation workers were already boycotting. The day of the assassination was a very sad day for black people. It felt as if our leader was killed.
The tension was high and everyone was in shock. It was a time of mourning. It was hard for some people to go to bed. I was at home that night. The city was in a depressed state. The black community was in the state of mourning. I felt as if King was a great leader and preacher. I believed in his non-violent approach. I feel that he gave his life so that all people could live better. Things did change after this tragic event. Black people have more freedom but still have a way to go to racism. Some people are different but some people still have the same views as back then. Some people still display the racist attitude that were taught by their ancestors and still see blacks as inferior.