Remembering Dr. Martin Luther King and his Legacy

[caption id="attachment_1561" align="alignleft" width="217"] Martin Luther King, Jr. Courtesy of Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division[/caption]

Update: As of October 21, 2013 there is video related to this post on our website.

Every year on Martin Luther King Day, the nation takes time to remember a great man, who helped change the country. Dr. King was completely dedicated to the peaceful protest against inequality, and the United States has greatly benefited from his work and legacy as part of the civil rights movement.

While many people remember distinctly his life and work, others might be too young to have any first-hand experience. The Boston Local TV News Digital Library has over 200 historic news stories on King, which allow users to uniquely experience the energy of the movement again through primary source footage.

When King was assassinated on April 4, 1968, cities around America erupted in sadness and anger. Many of the news stories in our collection depict Boston’s various reactions to King’s death, including riots, speeches, prayer services, rallies, and fires. One of these rallies, at Post Office Square, featured multiple speeches given by Bostonians angered by his death and the continued inequality and discrimination in America. PBS Learning Media used raw footage of that rally to create a classroom resource for middle and high schoolers. Watch it here.