Although it may seem like an unusual suggestion, Memphis movers encourage new residents to check out the Lorraine Motel in Memphis. Located just east of the Mississippi River at 450 Mulberry Street in Downtown Memphis, the Lorraine Motel opened its doors in 1920s.

What makes this motel so remarkable? During the segregation in the 1960s, the Lorraine was one of the only hotels in which African American travelers felt safe. However, on April 4, 1968, it forever became known as the spot where civil rights activist and leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. Today, the Lorraine Motel is the home of the famous National Civil Rights Museum. Memphis movers recommend this historical spot for new residents to take a crash course in one of America’s most powerful movements.

The National Civil Rights Museum was established in 1991, and their mission is to educate visitors on the milestone events that shaped the Civil Rights movement in the United States. The NCRM is filled with 260 artifacts, 40 films, interactive media, and oral history that guides visitors through five centuries of history. Notable time periods at the museum include the beginning of resistance during slavery, Civil War, reconstruction, the rise of Jim Crow, and the events that led to the movement towards equality.

Exhibitions at the National Civil Rights Museum aim to spread the lessons and culture that was born through America’s Civil Rights Movement, such as:

“A Culture of Resistance” – Describing the hardships of slavery in America from 1619-1861

“Standing Up by Sitting Down” – Recalling the student sit-ins that inspired change in the 1960s

“The Year They Walked” – The Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955-1956

Memphis movers agree with the museum’s mission statement, “To provoke thoughtful debate and serve as a catalyst for positive change.”