The King Assassination—50 years later

Last week the nation commemorated the 50th anniversary of the assassination of civil rights leader the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. 

Instructors, click the link below to download this week’s lecture for use in your classroom. The deck contains a writing prompt, a debate question, as well as other assessment questions.

Download the PowerPoint Lecture Spark for the King Assassination—50 years later

Links

“When MLK Was Killed, He Was In Memphis Fighting For Economic Justice”
https://www.npr.org/2018/03/28/597308044/the-memphis-sanitation-workers-strike-kings-last-cause-for-economic-justice

“America marks the 50th anniversary of MLK’s assassination”
https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/mlk-50th-anniversary/

“Protests continue For Stephon Clark On Martin Luther King Jr.’s Death Anniversary”
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/stephon-clark-protest-martin-luther-king-death-anniversary_us_5ac58a57e4b09ef3b24362cd

“Martin Luther King Jr.’s granddaughter reflects 50 years after his assassination: ‘We’re not where we’re supposed to be’”
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/News/martin-luther-king-jrs-granddaughter-reflects-50-years/story?id=54225912

“What Martin Luther King Jr.’s death did to civil rights leaders”
https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/04/politics/civil-rights-activists-martin-luther-king-jr-legacy/index.html

“The Strike That Brought MLK to Memphis”
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/revisiting-sanitation-workers-strike-180967512/#TWDJRPsOhSe3WPys.99

 

Assessment

• Writing: Why did Martin Luther King Jr. travel to Memphis, TN, in March and April of 1968?
• Debate: The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. is largely uncontested and his vision for the United States is universally supported. 
• Poll: The United States has moved closer to Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision of a society marked by economic and social justice.
• Short Answer: Why do many youth activists today find inspiration in Martin Luther King Jr.’s life?

 

Current events quiz:

1) Martin Luther King Jr. was is Memphis in 1968 to protest school segregation. (T/F)

2) Most observers and contemporaries of Martin Luther King Jr. believe that his dream of equal rights and economic rights has largely been achieved in the United States. (T/F)

3) In a speech the night before his assassination, Martin Luther King Jr. said, “I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land.” (T/F)

4) In late 1967, Martin Luther King Jr. announced plans

a. to retire from the Civil Rights Movement

b. for a large scale Poor Peoples Campaign of civil disobedience

c. for another Voting Rights Act

d. all of the above

5) What year was Martin Luther King Jr. assassinated?

a. 1958

b. 1968

c. 1978

d. 1988

Answers:

1. False

2. False

3. True

4. B

5. B

 

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