I have often stated that there's not much I liked about living in Memphis, TN. There are exceptions to that rule, and one of them is being surrounded by so much Civil Rights history. Memphis is a great place to sit back and take in the lessons taught by the likes of Martin Luther King, Jr. and others. Some of my greatest memories of being a journalist were sitting in the newsroom and coming up with coverage ideas for Martin Luther King Day. Granted, we didn't celebrate his birthday like we did his death. January 21st was always marked and remembered by most because they didn't have school or had the day off from work, but April 4th is a day I won't be able to forget. It is the day King was shot down at a Memphis hotel. Memphis news stations pull out all the stops for coverage on the day because what happened in the Bluff City that day changed America; for many, it was the day hope died. Memphis houses the National Civil Rights Museum and a large portion of it is devoted to Martin Luther King, Jr. and his dream. I visited this museum several times during my two year stint in Memphis, and I never made it all the way through. My love for history and the Civil Rights Movement kept me moving slowly through the exhibits, reading each one and breathing in the mood surrounding the events of the time. There is so much we can learn from history and from Martin Luther King, Jr. specifically. King's birthday is a great time to remember his teachings and pass them on to children in your life so that the past doesn't repeat itself.
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