On April 4, 1968 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. Dr. King was in Memphis supporting black sanitation workers who were on strike and demanding safer working conditions and better pay. Dr. King’s funeral was held at Ebenezer Baptist Church on April 9th, 1968, followed by a procession of some 200,000 silent mourners walking to the Morehouse Campus for another funeral service as well. Ebenezer Baptist Church gained national significance through these connections to Dr. King and the role this church played in the Civil Rights Movement.
The Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park, will host a program to mark the 56th Anniversary of the Assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., beginning Thursday, April 4, 2024, and ending Tuesday, April 9, 2024.
The scheduled activities for the 55th Anniversary of the Assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The activities include:
April 4, 2024-5:30 - 6:15 pm
56th Observance, Martin Luther King, Jr. Assassination Candlelight Program. This program will be held in the Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church and will conclude with the Wreath Placement on the Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church.
A symbolic wreath will be displayed on the front porch of the King Birth Home, and the King Family Home offering the visitors an opportunity to reflect on the life and legacy of Rev. D. Martin Luther King, Jr.
A "Reflection Corner" will be located in the Visitor Center with options for visitors to artistically express their thoughts and feeling as they reflect on Dr. King's memory.
April 9, 20249:00 am - 5:00 pm - A Silent walk-through observance will be held at the Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church Sanctuary.
