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The other civil rights leaders

The civil rights struggle in Memphis during the late 1960s is usually defined by two names: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the world-famous practitioner of nonviolent protests, and Henry Loeb, the stubborn mayor who opposed him during the sanitation workers' strike.

But many others — men and women, white and black — played key roles in the battle for human dignity. Some worked behind the scenes; others stood at King's side. For the first time in our magazine's long history, we tracked down ten of the most important figures from that tumultuous period. Here, in their own words, they tell what it was like in those dark days leading up to the death of King, and where they were when they heard the awful news.

Forty years have passed, but their words and memories remain as strong
and relevant as they were during 1968. While most of us are merely passive readers of history, these brave men and women actually helped change it. They are the true pioneers of the civil rights movement in America.
Read entire article at Memphis Magazine