This day, in 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated by James Earl Ray. MLK Jr. was a highly influential figure in the Civil Rights Movement, with his speeches being quoted to this day. His most famous speech, the “I Have a Dream.” speech, is taught in almost every school. The murder of King was a politically motivated assassination. He was shot while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel. King’s famous “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech was delivered in Memphis on April 3, the day before his death at the age of 39. The Civil Rights Movement continued on after King’s death.