I was in college and several of my Fraternity brothers who had graduated and taken jobs in Memphis, fled the city to hole up at the Fraternity house. They told of hearing gunfire and weaving through burning cars as they drove out of town.
I lived in Memphis at this time...I do not recall burning cars...there were riots in two or three sections of Memphis.
Something has always stuck in my mind from this time...a highschool friend had an encounter with Dr. King prior to the assassination. She was at a 4 way stop...she, thinking it was her turn to go, pulled into the intersection..the other car, a limo, pulled out as well...she realized she was at fault and began apologizing to the other driver...as the limo pulled foward, she realized that Dr. King was the passenger...she said he smiled a tipped his hat to her...
His gesture of respect and acceptance of her apology made a deep impression on her, and on me.
A day or two later he was shot.
My highschool faternity had a danced planned for that Friday night...Robert (Bare Footin’) Parker was to be the entertainment...Instead, that weekend found National Guardsmen in the streets, curfews, etc...