Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s 50th Anniversary of His Assassination
In recognition of the life and death of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., labor, community, and religious organizations are organizing a peaceful march and commemorative service on April 4th, 2018, to honor Dr. King’s legacy.
On Wednesday, April 4, 2018, at 4:30pm, we invite all members of the community to join us by assembling at the Antioch Baptist Church, 1327 Fillmore Avenue to march into the Dr. Martin Luther King Park and gather at the MLK statue to honor Dr. King. Guest speakers are scheduled to address the gathering.
In March 1968, the striking sanitation workers of Memphis, Tennessee, represented by AFSCME Local 1733, called on Dr. King to help them resolve the strike and to give them hope as it was in the times of the embattled Civil Rights Movement. The working conditions of these workers were deplorable. Two workers lost their lives after being crushed to death on the job. There were no death benefits forwarded to their families. African American sanitation workers were treated less than human beings. Thus, the “I Am A Man” campaign was ignited. Dr. Martin Luther King also generated the “Poor People’s” campaign through this movement.
The day before Dr. King’s assassination, April 3rd, 1968, he marched with thousands of strike supporters in downtown Memphis. The strike had drawn support from national and international organizations. It was at this gathering that Dr. King delivered his historical speech, “I Have Been to the Mountain Top”. On April 4th, 1968, Dr. King was shot dead by snipper, James Earl Ray, as he stood on the balcony of his hotel balcony.
Today, Dr. King’s legacy lives on through the eyes of those who carry the blood-stained-banner for peace and dignity for all human beings.
This event is sponsored by: The WNY Area Labor Federation, AFL-CIO, AFSCME, CSEA, Buffalo Branch NAACP, Buffalo Urban League, Coalition for Economic Justice, National Action Network, Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, and the City of Buffalo.