Fifty Years Ago Today -- The Assassination Of Martin Luther King, Jr.

A look at the NBC News coverage of that terrible day, April 4, 1968.



Just two months later, on June 6, 1968, Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated in Los Angeles.

BONUS: The Associated Press has compiled 50 stories about the civil rights leader, from his early days, to his lasting legacy.

Quotes of the Weekend - Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial Edition

Today the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial is being dedicated in Washington, D.C. In honor of that, we want to offer quotes from two leading African Americans that go a long way to illustrate the profound moral gap that exists between the political parties in our country today:

"Today, American labor unions are under unprecedented assault. Public workers in Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana and other states face all-out campaigns to destroy their collective-bargaining rights. The magnificent outbreaks of opposition to these attacks provide a potent reminder that economic security, respect and representation on the job are not arrogant demands of “greedy” workers but basic human rights. If my father were alive, he would be linking arms in the front ranks of the protests against the attacks on trade unions." -- Martin Luther King III in today's Kaplan Daily.

"Don't blame Wall Street. Don't blame the big banks. If you don't have a job and you're not rich, blame yourself." -- Herman "Herb*" Cain, from an October 5 interview with the Wall Street Journal.

*Courtesy Simple Sarah Palin.

A Birthday To Reflect On

Martin Luther King, Jr. would have been 82 years old today. It's hard to believe that he was only 39 when he was assassinated. He had accomplished enormous things in a brief life, yet we wonder what else he would have accomplished had he lived longer. We were made far poorer for his loss.