My name is Nikki. Chicago is my city. This is my blog.: City Highlight: Memphis, TN - Is the National Civil Rights Museum helping or hindering African Americans?

Last week I visited the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, TN. The museum is formerly known as the Lorraine Motel where Dr. King was murdered on April 4, 1968. I have been here before, but this time I experieenced something new. I met a woman by the name of Jacqueline Smith who has been protesting outside of the museum for 22 years. Here is her story, along with pics.

This was the Lorraine Motel in 1968 when Dr. King was murdered. It was located in an urban enviroment.

In 1988 it the decision was made to turn the Lorraine Motel into a museum. Jacqueline was homeless and living in the motel at the time. She refused to leave. Authorities had to force her out. She was the last to go.

Here is what the Lorraine Motel looks like today:

Here is Jacqueline's argument:

They moved the homeless out of the Lorraine Motel forcing them back on the street. Wasn't Dr. King for the poor?
The area surrounding the Lorraine Motel has been gentrified. It looks nothing like how it did when Dr. King was there.
Where were the road blocks in 1968? They now have road blocks on the street leading up to the Lorraine Motel. Jacqueline wants to know how come they didn't have road blocks back then to protect Dr. King? (good question)
It seems like they are capitalizing off of his death.

What do you guys think? Are Jacqueline's points valid?