On this day in 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his final speech in Memphis

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FILE - In this April 3, 1968 file photo, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. makes his last public appearance at the Mason Temple in Memphis, Tenn. The following day King was assassinated on his motel balcony. The Martin Luther King Jr. birthday holiday is celebrated this year on Monday, Jan. 16, 2012, although the the actual anniversary of his birthday is Jan. 15. The Georgia native, who was born in Atlanta, would have been 83 years old. On Monday, a wreath will be laid at the new King Memorial on the National Mall, in Washington, which opened in August. Since then, the King Memorial Foundation says more than 2 million visitors from around the world have visited the memorial. (AP Photo/Charles Kelly, File)
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On April 3, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. famously delivered his final speech at the Mason Temple Church of God in Christ in Memphis, Tennessee.

Tragically, just one day later, the civil rights leader was assassinated by James Earl Ray as he stood on a balcony at the Lorraine Hotel in Memphis, leaving behind a legacy of nonviolent resistance against racial and social inequality.

In addition, on the same day in 1963, Dr. King led a drive against discrimination in Birmingham, Alabama. The scene turned violent when the city’s police force, led by Commissioner Eugene “Bull” Connor, unleashed high-powered hoses and dogs against demonstrators.

Click play to listen to the AURN News report from Clay Cane. Follow @claycane & @aurnonline for more.

Clay Cane is an award-winning journalist, writer, radio host, and political commentator. A graduate of Rutgers University with a degree in African-American Studies, his work on race, culture, and politics have appeared in national publications, including the Washington Post, CNN, and The Grio. Clay is a regular political commentator on MSNBC. Twitter: @claycane

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