40 years ago today the legendary US Civil Rights leader, Dr Martin Luther King Jnr, was assassinated on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee.
He delivered his last speech – “I’ve been to the mountain top†– the day before at the Mason Temple in Memphis and, in closing, had said:
“Well, I don’t know what will happen now. We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn’t matter with me now. Because I’ve been to the mountaintop. And I don’t mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will. And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land.â€
To mark the occasion, we have included an extract of that last speech here:
