Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a Nobel Peace Prize
winner acclaimed for his work during the Civil Rights
Movement, was slain 40 years ago on April 4, 1968, in
Memphis, Tenn.
Several VCU mass communications students interviewed
Richmonders about their memories of King and
the day he died.
“We all have leaders, and some of them are chosen for
us. MLK was a leader that I felt like I chose for myself. He
was not forced onto me; I decided to follow him myself.
He is very similar to Obama. Obama is about the closest
thing that I’ve seen to MLK in my lifetime.”
-Neverett Eggleston Jr., Richmond business owner
“I was at home when I heard about his death. I was 9
years old. Before Dr. King and the civil rights movement
he led, black Americans in Virginia faced challenges
voting, obtaining equal housing and doing something as
simple as riding a bus or eating at a lunch counter. (King)
transformed this nation for the better for all Americans
and for people throughout the world. Any group or nation
that strives for freedom and just treatment is inspired by
King’s movement. Latino immigrants and gays and lesbians
come to mind.”
-Michael Paul Williams, Richmond Times-Dispatch
columnist, VCU adjunct professor
“King’s been turned into a symbol far less radical
than what he really was. His speech on Washington
has been picked up by conservatives and turned back
against people supporting affirmative action. In honoring
him, we have tamed him.”
-John Kneebone, VCU associate professor of
history
“Dr. King had tremendous vision, belief, sense
of morality. He was also saying things that were so
profound, so deep. He used Alfred Adler, who I was
studying in psychology (as an example), and I could relate.
He effected change with nonviolence. As a young guy,
having so much anger, I learned about nonviolence from
him. If you believe everybody counts, you can make
a huge difference. You don’t have to be in the march;
you can be on the sideline and still help.”
-Dr. Napoleon Peoples, Interim Associate Dean of
Student Affairs, MCV Campus
“I was in Portsmouth . going to school at the time
when he was killed. It was almost like (a) feeling of
abandonment. Hopelessness. It made you feel like you
had less of a chance to make things better. It was like
watching a football game, and the star athlete breaks
his leg before the state championships, and there
was anger. Because it seemed like every time things
would get better, someone would come and take it
away from us.”
-Earl Ricks, realtor and author