"The Witness"

After touring Graceland, our next stop was the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis - another highlight of our road trip so far!  

One of the highlights of our whole trip so far was having the honour of meeting Rev. Samuel "Billy" Kyles. I happened to be chatting with one of the museum's volunteers when the Rev. started to walk out. The volunteer said good bye to him, then stopped him before he was gone to introduce Guillaume and I. We chatted with him for about five minutes, then got our picture taken together.  Rev. Kyles and Rev. Abernathy were with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in his hotel room one hour before he was assassinated; Rev. Kyles and MLK were on the balcony together when MLK was shot. He's almost 90 years old and of the three Reverends together that day, is the only one still alive.  He was the focus of a documentary - "The Witness" - that was nominated for both an Emmy and an Oscar, and which won several film festival awards.  

The museum has been built onto the Lorraine Motel, the place where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968.  The hotel room where MLK stayed the night before his assassination is now a part of the museum.

Just before MLK was shot, he was speaking with other movement supporters such as Jesse Jackson, who were standing near the cars.  They were all supposed to go to supper at Rev. Kyles' new home; they were running late.

 

The museum, which commemorates the whole Civil Rights Movement, also pays hommage to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  Out of all the museums Guillaume and I have been to, we agreed this was one of our favourites.
A definite highlight of our trip!!