April 4, l968
Growing up here in Memphis has had its ups and downs for me. I’m 32 years old, trying to take care of my five children; I hope that one day they’ll appreciate all I do for them. It’s a struggle living in a segregated community, where it seems like every black person is getting used to being beaten up because of their skin color. Thank God for a man named Dr. Martin Luther King, who's dream is for all races to be equal.
Today is just another day for me so far, just taking care of my five children, three of Whom are at school. I don’t currently have a job, but we are able to survive through welfare. All of a sudden, while I’m watching TV, the local news station interrupts the show, with a breaking news update. “We regret to inform you that Civil Rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, ]r., has been shot outside of a motel here in Memphis." The news anchors states.
I honestly don’t know how to react to this right now; I’ll always respect Dr. King because he stood up for what was right, in spite of the circumstances that he, along with the black community, faced. As I look outside my window, I see lots of hung down heads and worried faces as a result of what just happened. Everyone in the neighborhood is shocked, but I believe that We must continue what he started. Life Will definitely change because of his unfortunate death, because people will see the positive influence that he had on others, and instead of tearing each other down, they should build each other up. Racism will still exist in the future, but it won’t be under the same circumstances as we faced in l968.