Memphis - National Civil Rights Museum

The Lorraine Motel - the site of Martin Luter King's assassination is now home to the National Civil Rights Museum.

The wreath signifies the place where Dr. King was standing when he was assassinated.

We did the horse and carriage thing around Memphis.

The trolley cars are a piece of history.

The ducks at the Peabody Hotel

We spent the day in Memphis, TN.  The celebrities of Memphis, the ducks of the Peabody Hotel, attracted the paparazzi.  I was surprised by the crowd of people lined up with us to watch the ducks march in, and then out, of the lobby where they spend their day enjoying the small but lovely fountain.  I tried to videotape the march, but a woman stood in front of me as I was filming.  

We then went to the National Civil Rights Museum.  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis on April 4, 1968.  The Lorraine was one of the few accomodations in Memphis that would accept black clientele in 1968.  At that time, the black sanitation workers in Memphis were on strike.  Dr. King was in town to show his support of the workers.  He was shot while standing on the balcony of the motel talking with some friends.

As soon as we walked around the corner and saw the motel, I was overcome with emotion.  In fact, I had a similar feeling - a mix of nausea and sadness - as we drove through Montgomery and Selma, Alabama.  We did not stop in those cities, but I felt a wave of emotion just driving through and knowing what occurred there during the Civil Rights Movement.  Today, I literally felt sick to my stomach looking at the white robe and hood in the exhibit.  There were many powerful images throughout the museum.  Berhanu was full of questions, as usual, and it was hard to explain things to him as we went through the museum.  Racism has always struck a chord with me, in part because I just don't understand how anyone can justify the injustice.  I wish I could have been a civil rights activist back in the 1960s, and it makes me wonder what the comparable issue is today. There is a tribute to Ghandi at the end of the museum tour which included two of my favorite quotes:  "Be the change you want to see in the world" and "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind."  Everyone should visit this museum, and I hope we can return when the children are older.

We are going to Lawrence, KS tomorrow to see my friend, Susan, and her husband, Jeff, and their girls.  We hope to be in Boulder, CO on Wed. night if I can drive that far.  If not, we'll be there on Thursday.  I've got to figure out our Colorado/Utah itinerary.  There is so much I want to see and do, but I don't want to spend all the time in the car.

I'm glad to hear that the weather has cleared in New England.  I hope it's a great summer from now on.