able and the government ’ s conduct of the war discriminatory to the poor . He sought to broaden his base by forming a multi-race coalition to address economic and unemployment problems of all disadvantaged people .
Assassination and Legacy
By 1968 , the years of demonstrations and confrontations were beginning to wear on Martin Luther King Jr . He had grown tired of marches , going to jail , and living under the constant threat of death . He was becoming discouraged at the slow progress civil rights in America and the increasing criticism from other African-American leaders . Plans were in the works for another march on Washington to revive his movement and bring attention to a widening range of issues . In the spring of 1968 , a labor strike by Memphis sanitation workers drew King to one last crusade . On April 3 , in what proved to be an eerily prophetic speech , he told supporters , “ 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 .” The next day , while standing on a balcony outside his room at the Lorraine Motel , Martin Luther King Jr . was struck by a sniper ’ s bullet . The shooter , a malcontent drifter and former convict named James Earl Ray , was eventually apprehended after a two-month , international manhunt . The killing sparked riots and demonstrations in more than 100 cities across the country . In 1969 , Ray pleaded guilty to assassinating King and was sentenced to 99 years in prison . He died in prison on April 23 , 1998 .
Martin Luther King Jr .’ s life had a seismic impact on race relations in the United States . Years after his death , he is the most widely known African-American leader of his era . His life and work have been honored with a national holiday , schools and public buildings named after him , and a memorial on Independence Mall in Washington , D . C . But his life remains controversial as well . In the 1970s , FBI files , released under the Freedom of Information Act , revealed that he was under government surveillance , and suggested his involvement in adulterous relationships and communist influences . Over the years , extensive archival studies have led to a more balanced and comprehensive assessment of his life , portraying him as a complex figure : flawed , fallible and limited in his control over the mass movements with which he was associated , yet a visionary leader who was deeply committed to achieving social justice through nonviolent means .
December Edition
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