As a twenty two year old pregnant house wife during 1968, Claudette B. was happy with what she was given. She lived in a nice neighbor hood where their were little crimes and people looked out for you and your house when you were gone. Dr Martin Luther King junior was a major part of her neighbor hood coming together and being United as one. Back then you could leave your door open at night and know that no one would try to break into your house at steal your belongings. All of these things were great before King died. After his death, ever one in favor of what he was doing was in an outrage.

In 1968, Jerry M. was a twenty-eight year old dentist, father, and husband living in Memphis. He thought of Memphis as a normal southern city with good BBQ, fun sporting events, and few political problems. He thought of Memphis as his small town home. Jerry would spend his days working in the dental office and would come home to play with his daughter and talk with his wife in the evenings. He sometimes would play golf with his friends on his days off.     He had heard of Martin Luther King before King came to Memphis to help the sanitation workers. Jerry thought of King as a good guy and respected his way of protesting peacefully. When King was shot, Jerry felt a rush of different emotions. 

Everything seemed to be normal the night of April 4, 1968. My grandmother was home with her only son at the time. When asked how Memphis was before the assassination, she said that Memphis was just like any normal big city. She said that the African Americans were the majority, but that it didn't bother her. My grandmother was twenty-eight and married at the time of the assassination, and she was working part-time as a secretary. Her typical day would have been taking care of her only son at the time, and she went to work 

The year was 1968. The place was Memphis, Tennessee. Twenty-two year old Sherma R. was having a normal day of taking care of her first born child, Christie. Her husband was away working at his barber shop. This was an average day for Sherma. She did not realize that in a few short hours, every thing would begin to change for good. Sherma knew of the Civil Rights Movement and that there was much segregation throughout the city. 

My grandparents, Russell and Mary G., were born 1930. Mary was born in Ripley, Tennessee and Russell was born in Memphis, Tennessee. They met in high school in Memphis where they met and were high school sweethearts. They became married in 1960 and had my dad, Russell G. III in 1963. My grandmother was the first black female hired at Wurzburg in Memphis in a clerical position. 

"Alright kids time to put the coloring pages away, we are going to start on our math lesson." I listen and observe as little hands and feet scurry to their backpacks hanging along the wall as they are eager to learn something new. The twelve years I have been working with and teaching kids have been some of my most cherished days. Some of the little boys remind me of my own two little ones at home. The duty of teaching is very rewarding and each day brings something new, but this particular day in the spring of 1968 was something especially new that would be remembered forever.

My name is Larry C. Sr. and during 1968 I was twenty nine years old. I was a young married with one child and living Memphis, TN. Memphis stood out to me, because it was a clean city with a low crime rate at the time. I was attempting to get into the insurance business at this time in my life. When Dr. King was assassinated I was collecting debts on insurance premiums. After I had done this and returned to my office in South Cooper, I learned that Dr. King had been assassinated. The city immediately issued a curfew by nightfall for all citizens.