Memphis finally may name street after King

Associated Press

MEMPHIS, Tenn.

In the more than four decades since the Rev. Martin Luther King was assassinated on the balcony of Memphis’ Lorraine Motel, about 900 U.S. cities have named local streets for him. Memphis is not one of them, though there is a stretch of interstate bearing his name.

Now, Memphis officials will consider a naming a key downtown street for the civil-rights icon after years of inaction that some say reflects a sense of shame and denial in the city where he was cut down.

The proposal to rename nine blocks of Linden Avenue to Dr. Martin Luther King Avenue is expected to pass today when it comes before the Memphis and Shelby County Land Use Control Board. As of Tuesday, the board hadn’t received any comments opposing the honor for King, who was killed by assassin James Earl Ray on April 4, 1968.

Berlin Boyd, a former city councilman, came up with the proposal earlier this year while still in office, and it easily passed. He predicts it will pass the land-use board, with a naming ceremony expected to take place April 4. The board has final say unless an appeal is filed within 10 days.

The street re-naming is being seen by many Memphians as a symbol that the city is taking steps to heal the wound caused by the assassination.