Childrens Museum SS

Assassination of MLK, 1968

"I Have a Dream" Speech

Selma Marches, 1965

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Artifacts of The Selma Marches

Third March - When? March 21, 1965. This time it was heavily protected by over 2000 U.S. Army soldiers, 1900 members of the Alabama National Guard, and closely watched by FBI agents. In result of these marches was the Voting Rights Act. By the end of 1965, over 250,000 new black votes had been registered.

Second March - When? March 9, 1965 This time, it again ended in violence and a barricade of state troopers.

First March - When? March 7, 1965 Who? It was organized by John Lewis, a leader of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and one of the original Freedom Riders. Why? They did the demonstration because of a voting registration campaign which had a record of consistent resistance to black voting. Sadly, the marchers were met with violence from heavily armed state troopers, who used tear-gas clubs and horses to chase away participants.

The Selma Marches, which were also known as "Bloody Sunday" were 3 marches that took place in Selma, Alabama in 1965. The marches were for a Voting Rights Movement.

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The Selma Marches

Marchers on the Edmund Pettus Bridge protesting.

Officers in this photo are interfering with the march.

This officer has a gas mask to protect himself from the harmful tear gas.

On the third and final march, marchers had joined together to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge and protest. The protesters had reached their destination on March 25, 1965 at the Alabama state capitol. The march showed people that even without a strong leader, you can still have big ideas and put them to use.

During the second march, marches were stopped by state troopers, abruptly ending the march. The marchers kept going, no matter who or what got in their way.

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Artifacts of the Selma Marches

2 out of the 3 marches on the Edmund Pettus Bridge were unsuccessful, with obstacles such as tear gas, clubs and bats. Teaching kids the importance of this event, and how actions between races have changed today can be crucial to future lives.

Artifacts of the "I Have a Dream" Speech

Where? Washington, D.C.

Why? Civil rights leaders planned a “march for freedom” in Washington, D.C. The marchers would demand passage of the civil rights bill, integration of schools, an end to job discrimination, and a program of job training.

Who?Martin Luther King Jr. wrote the speech.

When? August 28, 1963

The "I Have a Dream" speech was a speech organized by a minister and civil rights activist, Martin Luther King Jr.King was had helped with many protests in the past, such as, the sit-in protests, children's marches, but nothing as big as the "I Have a Dream Speech" which impacted Americans all over the country.

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"I Have a Dream" Speech

The crowd during MLKs’ “I Have a Dream” Speech.

Blacks protesting all their hopes and dreams

The attention of King's speech spreads around the country and the N.A.A.C.P. is growing in followers.

King's speech was effective immediately, and was able to get attention from people all over the country. His words were able to put new ideas into perspective, and overall his speech was a success.

The importance of MLKs’ speech brought blacks closer than before. The “I Have a Dream” speech led peaceful protests and helped blacks know what they wanted.

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Artifacts of the "I Have a Dream" Speech

MLKs’ speech spoke for every person there, all they wanted was peace and equality. Later on, the Selma Marches would play a big role in their dreams.

Artifacts of the Assassination of MLK

Where? A balcony outside his second-floor room at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee.

What happened afterwards? Many African Americans had lost faith in his vision of a society in which the color of a person's skin didn't matter. Angry young African Americans looked instead to new leaders who talked about black pride and black power.

How old was he? 39 years old.

When? April 4, 1968

Martin Luther King Jr. was an American Baptist minister, activist, and political philosopher who was one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968.

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The Assassination of MLK

Burning buildings of angry rioters.

Jesse Jackson leading a march in Washington, D.C., in 1975. In this photo, Jesse wore his hair in an Afro to symbolize the black culture and history

The last photo taken before MLKs’ death as well as the newspaper highlighting King’s death

After the death of MLK, his supporters were able to form a civil rights movement called “Black Power.” This movement was able to help people of color freely express their culture and emotions. A man named Jesse Jackson was able to work with MLK before his death and become a strong leading spokesman for all of the black community.

The Lorraine Motel was the last place MLK was photographed before his death. Not long after the death of MLK went public, terror would arise among the supporters of MLK.

After the assassination of MLK, riots began, however this time they weren’t all peaceful. Some believed that violence was the right choice, others disagreed. King's death forced his followers to stick up for their rights.

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Artifacts of the Assasination of MLK