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'The Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr: 40 Years After'

01 April, 2008 07:02:00

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From "The Tavis Smiley Show," a look at Dr. King's life and legacy with the guests Clarence Jones, Harry Belafonte, and others.

On April 4, 2008, the nation will remember the gunshot that was heard in Memphis and felt around the world as Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel. Now 40 years after that fateful day, people of goodwill are reminded that although Dr. King has been dead longer than he was alive, his legacy of love and service is as meaningful as ever.

As part of the commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., "The Tavis Smiley Show" offered this special broadcast from the historic Mason Temple, the site of Dr. King's "I've Been to the Mountaintop" speech. Dr. King delivered that final speech 40 years ago, April 3, 1968, the night before his death. On the show, Tavis Smiley leads a discussion about that speech and Dr. King's life and legacy before a live audience with the following guests:

- Clarence Jones, former King attorney.
- Dorothy Cotton, former King secretary.
- Harry Belafonte, King colleague.
- Clayborne Carson, historian.
- Earl Caldwell, "New York Times" journalist who witnessed the assassination.
- Bishop Charles Blake, presiding bishop of COGIC and Mason Temple.
- Beverly Robertson, executive director of the National Civil Rights Museum.
- Taylor Rogers, former sanitation worker who participated in the strike led by King.

"The Tavis Smiley Show" is a weekly show offering a unique blend of news and newsmakers in expanded conversations, along with feature reports and regular commentators. "The Tavis Show is produced by Tavis Smiley productions, and distributed nationwide by PRI.

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Comments (5 posted):

Sherryll Mitchell on 05 April, 2008 08:42:30

Hoping this comment finds you in good health and spirits. I was very enlighten as always by your show last week. It was a living history lesson so often times we can't have first hand knowledge but to actually talk to those who were there put our history in a whole new light. Keep up the good work, it is a great service to us all. And as in always KEEP THE FAITH.

katherine conway on 06 April, 2008 05:54:52

This live show on the 40th anniversary of the death of Martin Luther King was the most outstanding production I have heard in the past year. I thought Dorothy Cotton was fabulous as well as Harry Belafonte, and, especially the speaker who was one of the surviving garbage men from the Memphis strike that brought Martin Luther King to Memphis. A wonderful background story on the strike was done several years back in the Boston Globe by Wil Haygood (sp), but I did not remember that two men lost their lives when they tried to get out of the rain.
Thank you for making this show a reality. After I heard it, I wrote a check to WBUR, from where I hear it.
Sincerely,
Katheirne Conway
Katherine Conway

Kay on 06 April, 2008 09:49:28

I really enjoyed the radio version of "The Tavis Smiley Show" which aired on Sunday, 4/6/08, 6:00-8:00 p.m. EST, on NPR'S WBOI 89.7 FM. I enjoyed every word, every guest, and every moment of this show and special which honored the life, efforts, speech, and love of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It was very educational, informative, sharing, intimate, real, live, historical, relevant, emotional, touching, diverse, truthful, spiritual, enlightening, exploring, remindful, encouraging, stimulating, contextual, and revealing. It allowed me to live history in a very real way. I felt like I toured a museum of gold and collected treasures for myself, which I can and should share with my family, friends, and loved ones.

I greatly
anticipated listening to tonight's show as I repeatedly heard it advertised on NPR. (I set my cell phone alarm as a reminder.)

Thank you Mr. Tavis Smiley, PRI, NPR, and guests for the opportunity to listen to media and a program of such substance.

Grateful,
Kara Edens

Karen Lawson on 07 April, 2008 04:10:25

Listening to Dr. Cornel West argue that it was not Dr. King's life that made the real difference to the quality of life experienced by Black Americans, but his death and the riots and violence which followed, seemed very sad to me. I think Dr. King's love and hope lifted us up, all of us! I don't want to think he was wrong in beleiving that such love and hope was the answer, not violence and hate.

Greg Trapp on 10 April, 2008 04:25:40

Mr. Smiley's broadcast on the anniversary of Dr. King's death was the most riveting, uplifting shows I have heard from the media in years. Is it possible to acquire transcripts or an audio copy of that program?