Lorraine Motel
Where Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated by a single rifle shot fired from a boarding house across the street while he stood on the balcony outside Room 306 at 6:01 p.m. on April 4, 1968. He had come to Memphis to support striking sanitation workers, members of AFSCME Local 1733, whose “I AM A MAN” placards became one of the iconic images of the movement. The Lorraine and its sister site across the street are today the National Civil Rights Museum.
A full editorial profile of Lorraine Motel — including primary sources, archival photographs, and a visitor guide — is in development. Subscribe to be notified when it publishes. To suggest sources or corrections, write us at editors@black-history.com.