Tennessee

Lorraine Motel — Memphis, TN

Phil Nichols

Phil Nichols

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Exterior of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis with its vintage sign, motel rooms, and an inset historic photograph of Martin Luther King Jr. on the balcony.
The Lorraine Motel in Memphis, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968.

During our May 2024 trip to Memphis, we stopped at the Lorraine Motel, now part of the National Civil Rights Museum. This is where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968, after stepping onto the balcony outside Room 306. The museum preserves the motel and uses the site to tell the larger story of the American Civil Rights Movement. 

It is one of those places where knowing the history is one thing and standing where it happened is something else entirely. Room 306 and the surrounding balcony remain central to the site, making this a particularly sobering stop during an otherwise very enjoyable Memphis trip.

Martin Luther King Jr. assassination site
On April 4, 1968, civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. was shot dead at this location in the South Main District of Memphis, Tennessee.
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