1968 Assassination of Martin Luther King
50 years ago, on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee, Martin Luther King, a clergyman, a leader in the struggle for civil rights of blacks in the United States and a principled supporter of non-violent protest methods, was assassinated. He was shot by a sniper while standing on the balcony at the Lorraine Motel. The assassination sparked African American riots in more than a hundred American cities. 48 people were killed and 2.5 thousand wounded.