Echoes of History Beautiful Sites Where the World Was Forever Changed

15. The Lorraine Motel: The Site of a Dream Deferred

A modest roadside motel in Memphis, Tennessee, became the setting for one of the most tragic moments in the fight for civil rights. On April 4, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on the balcony of Room 306 at the Lorraine Motel, just one day after delivering his prophetic "I've Been to the Mountaintop" speech. What was once an ordinary lodging space transformed into a site of mourning and reflection for a nation still struggling with racial injustice. Today, the Lorraine Motel is part of the National Civil Rights Museum, ensuring that the story of Dr. King’s legacy and the ongoing fight for equality is never forgotten.