Situated high on a bluff on the Mississippi River, the city of Memphis packs a historical punch: It was a pre-Civil War way station on the Underground Railroad; birthplace of blues, soul, and rock ‘n’ roll; a Civil Rights landmark; and home to Graceland, Al Green’s Full Gospel Tabernacle church, and the barbecue cooking world championships (part of the annual Memphis in May fest). April 4 of this year marks the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination at the Lorraine Motel in Downtown Memphis. Instead of focusing heavily on the tragedy, the National Civil Rights Museum is encouraging organizations around the city to use the theme “Where Do We Go From Here?” to look toward the future. March and April bring community-wide celebrations, a King Day street fair, and museum exhibitions like the Brooks Museum showcase of photographs from Civil Rights photographer Ernest C. Withers. At a two-day symposium (free and open to the public) at the Orpheum Theatre, a variety of national and local thought leaders will explore voting rights, 21st-century activism, and criminal justice reform. There will be an inspirational luncheon at the historic Peabody hotel (Eric Holder, Attorney General under the Obama administration, is the keynote), and storytelling at Crosstown Arts with Civil Rights icons as well as makers of the Black Lives Matter and Women’s March movements. As National Civil Rights Museum president Terri Freeman points out, “While it’s important to have stories from the elders, the icons respect the work of young people pushing for change.” After all, King was only 39 when he died. The city is hoping to become an inspirational hub for young people right now.
