NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM UNVEILS NEW EXHIBIT THAT EXAMINES THE IMPACT OF KING’S DEATH AND LEGACY

Memphis, TN, April 02, 2018 -- MLK50:  A Legacy Remembered will open at the National Civil Rights Museum (NCRM) on April 4 in conjunction with the 50^th anniversary commemoration of the death of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  Featuring rare photographs, documents, and other items, the exhibit will be on display in the museum’s State of Tennessee gallery through December 31 and will be included with regular museum admission. 

MLK50:  A Legacy Remembered reflects on the 50 years since King’s tragic death.  It surveys the historic reaction to his death while also examining the continued impact of his legacy on people and events throughout the world. By focusing on his last year, the exhibition emphasizes rarely examined aspects of King’s social justice agenda by comparing contemporary events like the Occupy Movement and the Living Wage Campaign with King’s Poor People’s Campaign and the 1968 Sanitation Strike. 

The exhibit uniquely examines King’s relationship to Memphis: his earlier visits to the city; the role of the Lorraine Motel and its owners Walter and Loree Bailey; and how the city wrestled with the events surrounding King’s death. Files from the FBI and the State of Tennessee’s evidence collection, partially housed at the museum, were consulted to recreate a timeline of King’s movements during his final 48 hours in Memphis. 

MLK50: A Legacy Remembered features over 150 photographs, including nine rarely-seen photographs from Memphis photographer Ernest Withers, a friend of Dr. King’s who documented his work in Memphis and the sanitation strike. In addition, there are 44 color photographs from Chicago-based photographer Art Shay documenting the turmoil in the city from the evening of April 4 to April 8, 1968, when King’s body was delivered to the Memphis airport. 

Additional exhibit highlights include the Lorraine Motel 1968 guestbook; a rare memo from James Lawson instructing Silent March participants; an MLK Streets Study conducted by a team of geographers led by University of Tennessee-Knoxville geographer Dr. Derek Alderman; and a 6-foot rendition of a Resurrection City Tent from the Poor People’s Campaign.

“Our goal is to provide a historical context for King’s work during 1967 and 1968, as well as the events that took place in Memphis on April 3-4,” said Noelle Trent, NCRM’s Director of Interpretation, Collections & Education.  

“We want to not only show the aftermath of those events but also illustrate King’s influence on everything from modern social justice movements to politics to pop culture in the years since then.  From Elvis to President Obama, Nichelle Nichols to Black Lives Matter, Dr. King’s legacy has had a lasting impact on our society and culture.”

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About the National Civil Rights Museum

The NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM, located at the historic Lorraine Motel where civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated, gives a comprehensive overview of the American Civil Rights Movement from 1619 to the present. Since the Museum opened in 1991, millions of visitors from around the world have come, including more than 90,000 students annually. Serving as the new public square, the Museum is steadfast in its mission to chronicle the American civil rights movement, examine today’s global civil and human rights issues, provoke thoughtful debate and serve as a catalyst for positive social change. 

A Smithsonian Affiliate and an internationally acclaimed cultural institution, the Museum was recognized as TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Top 5% U.S. Museum, USA Today's Top 10 Best American Iconic Attractions; Top 10 Best Historical Spots in the U.S. by TLC's Family Travel; Must See by the Age of 15 by Budget Travel and Kids; Top 10, American Treasures by USA Today; and Best Memphis Attraction by The Commercial Appeal and the Memphis Business Journal. 

About Smithsonian Affiliations

Established in 1996, Smithsonian Affiliations is a national outreach program that develops long-term collaborative partnerships with museums and educational and cultural organizations to enrich communities with Smithsonian resources. The long-term goal of Smithsonian Affiliations is to facilitate a two-way relationship among the Affiliate organizations and the Smithsonian Institution to increase discovery and inspire lifelong learning in communities across America. More information about the Smithsonian Affiliations program and Affiliate activity is available at www.affiliations.si.edu.

- mlk50.civilrightsmuseum.org -

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A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f39f5214-898b-4860-8649-c3d14daca795

Faith Morris
National Civil Rights Museum
901-527-1226
[email protected]