As we approach Martin Luther King, Jr., Day, we reflect on the life and legacy of Dr. King. We also can reflect on—and take advantage of—the opportunities we have to learn about and never forget important historical figures and events. And sometimes, a physical location that is still available to see and visit gives us the means to learn more about history, even if it is a painful reminder of a tragic turn that history took.
One such place is the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. It is the location where Dr. King was assassinated, and it has become the site of the National Civil Rights Museum. The image of the motel—and more specifically the view showing the balcony where Dr. King was assassinated—is an image that is likely engrained in many of our minds from learning about the tragic event in schools when we were younger. However, to see the actual motel up close and in person, and see a location we are used to seeing in a black-and-white photograph but now in vivid real-life color, creates an immediate and lasting impression. One that reminds us that this was an actual event in history, that happened to a real person at a real place. And that makes it hit home, makes us realize that terribly awful things happen in the world and can happen at any moment, and makes us realize that this event happened not that long ago in history.
The motel room where Dr. King was staying was left intact, and the motel and adjacent buildings house many exhibits and historical documentation of the civil rights movement and Dr. King's life and legacy. It is a powerful place to visit on many levels.
And perhaps, as Dr. King spoke of many times, we all can one day see the world—physically and metaphorically—not in black and white, as in that photograph of the Lorraine Motel we all know, but in the wonderful ways the world is meant to be seen.
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