And although I have seen it a thousand times and learned the history surrounding it at an early age- I had never been into the National Civil Rights Museum...aka The Lorraine Motel...aka the place Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated.
The market and museum are right next to one another and since Shane was off today, we ventured downtown early this morning...
First the market-
I came home with a nice bounty! The kitchen is now filled with fresh homegrown apples, peaches, cucumbers, squash, sweet potatoes, red potatoes, bell peppers...you get the picture. :) Shane even bought a Boston butt that he is going to smoke tomorrow. Yum!
Here's some pics from the market...
And then the National Civil Rights Museum...
"Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And 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. And I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.
- MLK speaking at Mason Temple, Memphis, TN on April 3, 1968.
He died the next day.
Dr. King didn't have his chance go to the promised land, but we did today as Shane and I took our sweet Layla through this museum dedicated to civil rights. There we strolled her next to other children from all walks of life and all ethnic backgrounds. We were all there for the same reasons...to educate ourselves on the history of civil rights and to pay tribute to those before us that made our places in the world equal.
I had the same feeling while standing just behind the spot where King was assassinated as I did when I stood on the Dallas street, in front of the now famous grassy knoll...in the exact location where John F. Kennedy was assassinated.
The Lorraine Motel houses King's last moments, but it also houses his future, as his legend and whole-hearted DREAMS live on.
