MLK: The Assassination Tapes

Tom Jennings' documentary, broadcast on the Smithsonian Channel, gathers archival film, photos, and audio recordings to present a disturbing record of the events preceding the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Memphis on April 4, 1968, and the violent national tumult that followed. Although King's influence had been waning due to the rise of the Black Power movement and his high-profile opposition to the Vietnam War, he still commanded national attention. King arrived in Memphis to support a strike by sanitation workers—most of them black—who were seeking safer working conditions and compensation closer to that of other municipal employees. During this visit, he delivered the astonishing “I've Been to the Mountaintop” sermon that would prove to be eerily prophetic. Although there's no Zapruder-style video of the shooting at the Lorraine Motel, the film does provide rare recordings of police reports of the crime and the beginnings of the frantic hunt for the gunman. Also included is news footage of the riots that were sparked by King's murder and televised pleas by President Lyndon B. Johnson and Sen. Robert F. Kennedy for calm in the aftermath of the tragedy. Strangely, Jennings does not focus on the lingering controversy over whether shooter James Earl Ray acted alone or was part of a conspiracy. Nevertheless, despite a relatively compact running time, this is a compelling study of an extraordinary, tragic event in U.S. history. Highly recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (P. Hall)