Free printable informational text reading passage for 4th, 5th or 6th grade and up.
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Martin Luther King Jr. - His Final Day
"Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people will get to the promised land. And I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord."
At 6:00 p.m. on April 4, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was standing on the balcony of his hotel room in Memphis, Tennessee. One minute later he was shot. He was rushed to hospital and the doctors tried emergency surgery. The wound was too serious and Martin Luther King, Jr. was pronounced dead at 7:05 p.m. He was 39 years old.
Two months later, on June 10th, James Earl Ray was arrested and charged with murder. In March 1969, Ray pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 99 years in the Tennessee state penitentiary.
Martin Luther King arrived in Memphis the day before he was assassinated. His flight was delayed because of a bomb threat. That evening, King delivered his "I've Been to the Mountaintop" speech to a small crowd that had braved the bad weather to hear him speak.
In the speech, King spoke about civil rights, nonviolent social action, and his own life and death. He discussed the earlier bomb threat, the time he had been stabbed, and concluded the speech with the words above that many feel "foreshadowed" his death the next day.
In what city did Martin Luther King Jr. die? Memphis Montgomery Washington Memphis
How old was Martin Luther King Jr. when he died? 39 45 50 39
When was MLK assassinated? January 15, 1968 April 3, 1968 April 4, 1968 April 4, 1968
When did MLK give his famous "I've Been to the Mountaintop" speech? August 28, 1964 April 3, 1968 April 4, 1968 April 3, 1968
What do you think "foreshadow" means? predict or suggest in advance come after cause something bad to happen predict or suggest in advance
What was MLK referring to when he said he's been to the mountaintop? He's been praying. He's been hiking. He's been near death. He's been near death.
Why was the crowd small for his Memphis speech? The weather in Memphis was bad. There was a bomb threat. He made the crowd sleepy. The weather in Memphis was bad.
Why was MLK delayed getting to Memphis? The bad weather delayed the flight. People were afraid there would be violence. There was a bomb threat on his plane. There was a bomb threat on his plane.
