Memphis, Tennessee

March 7, 2010 (day 2). Today we attended church service at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church. The pastor there is Dr. Frank A. Thomas. They are doing a 4o days of Love campaign, and today's theme is "Love is not irritable". I enjoyed service tremendously as well as the hospitality of the church members.

Following service we visited the National Civil Rights Museum. Our tour guide, Jo Lynne Paulmer, was thoroughly excited about the Civil Rights Movement, especially because she lived in Memphis when desegregation of schools was occurring. It was really awesome that she experienced those things firsthand. Some of the new things I learned or was not familiar with: The Lorraine Motel where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated was originally named the Windsor Motel but was renamed by the Baileys after a song called "Sweet Lorraine" by Nat King Cole; Jim Crow Laws were named after a minstrel show character named Jim Crow who represented being happy under oppression (ironic huh?); Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks attended the Highlander Folk School which taught them about taking nonviolent action against unjust laws; the bus boycotts, led by the Montgomery Improvement Association, lasted for 381 days; James Meredith was not a part of any well known organizations, he acted alone in his efforts; Birmingham was also known as "burning"ham and "bombing" ham.
We also got to see some of the evidence against James Earl Ray, Dr. MLK Jr.'s supposed assassin, had many aliases of Canadian men. Each of the aliases he used were of men with similar physical attributes. How interesting! We stood in the room that the shot supposedly came from. Mr. Ray was convicted of the crime, but due to several unanswered questions it is uncertain as to whether he is the true assassin.

After a very long tour we headed to BEALE STREET for some fun adventures and some dinner! Most of us witnessed a very talented artist who painted pictures of the city and people who were wiling to sit and get their pictures drawn. We also enjoyed live blues and some interesting gift shops as well. I can't wait to see what tomorrow will bring!

Kaylon E.