On The Balcony – Witness To History


EPISODE: 002

“You can kill the dreamer – but you cannot kill the dream…the dream is still alive today – it’s still unfolding”

Those words from Reverend Samuel “Billy” Kyles speaking about his friend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who led the civil rights movement in the U.S. back in the 1960s. Kyles was with Dr. King when King was assassinated on the balcony of the Lorraine Hotel in Memphis, Tennessee.

It was April 4, 1968, when Reverend Kyles, Dr. King and others were leaving the hotel to go to Kyles home for dinner.

“I turned to walk down the stairs. I got about five steps, kabamm, the shot rang out”

It’s hard to believe it’s been more than 50 years since Dr. King led the civil rights marches – so much was done, but we still have a long way to go in protecting civil rights of our citizens in this country. In this segment of Do U Know Who I Am, Reverend Kyles gives us a first-hand look at the civil rights movement in America and discusses the final moments he spent with Dr. King.

Rev. Samuel "Billy Kyles
Rev. Samuel “Billy Kyles

Music by David Mumford under Attribution License

All Media property of Patty Lane / Do U Know Who I Am podcast Patty@DoUKnowWhoIAm.com

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