'Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.' commemorates 50th anniversary of assassination

ATLANTA — On April 4th, 1968, a shot rang out in Memphis that changed the world forever when an assassin’s bullet killed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Exactly 50 years from that day, on April 4 starting at 8 p.m., Channel 2 Action News will remember Dr. King with a primetime special honoring his life and legacy.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Channel 2 Action News and WSB Radio covered the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 50 years ago, and now bring you the most comprehensive coverage on the anniversary.

In-depth stories, interviews with witnesses to history, the most extensive archive of photos, audio and video and extensive team coverage of Dr. King's far reaching impact.

Channel 2's Jovita Moore, Justin Farmer, Fred Blankenship, Justin Wilfon and several others will take you live from Atlanta to Washington D.C. to Memphis for a look at how Americans are remembering Dr. King on the 50th anniversary of his assassination.

With Channel 2 Action News’ extensive archive of video, photos and reports on Dr. King and the Civil Rights Movement, viewers will be taken back to that day. At 7:01 p.m. the moment he was shot, church bells across the city will ring 39 times for his 39 years of life. At 8:04 p.m. Channel 2 Action News will hold a moment of silence.

Dr. King's children, Bernice and Martin Luther King III, will tell their stories and most special memories of their father and how they're now working to continue his dream.

You'll also hear from one of Dr. King's closest confidants, who was with him the night of the assassination. Ambassador Andrew Young reveals some of the special moments he and Dr. King shared just an hour before his death.

It's a primetime special you don't want to miss.

For complete coverage leading up to that day, Channel 2 Action News, the AJC and WSB Radio have teamed to produce an in-depth digital experience at HonoringMLK.com.

Viewers can follow Dr. King’s path to Memphis, listen to his friends and contemporaries talk about living through those perilous moments and see rare photos and video.

You can also follow @HonoringMLK on Twitter.

Here's an in-depth look at our plans to honor Dr. King on April 4:

On the 50th anniversary of Dr. King’s assassination, the three properties will devote extensive live coverage to the memorials in Atlanta, Memphis and around the country. The project will present a living timeline in real time as it occurred throughout that day in 1968, right down to the time the fatal shot was fired that ended his life an hour later.

• The Atlanta Journal-Constitution will include a special commemorative section in the day's edition of the newspaper. The section will feature front pages from the April 4, 1968 editions of the Journal and the Constitution, historical coverage of the assassination including special columns written about the murder.
• All Day: Channel 2 will air moments throughout the day of special words from Dr. King's associates and mark real-time events from Dr. King's last day.
• 11 a.m. News 95.5 and AM750 WSB Radio will air a long-form special, "Six Days in Atlanta: Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr"
• 7:01 p.m. Channel 2, WSB Radio, KISS 104.1 and 98.5 will recognize the moment in which Dr. King was shot on a hotel balcony in Memphis. Church bells across Georgia and the country are expected to toll 39 times recognizing each year of his life.
• 8 p.m. Channel 2 Action News presents a one-hour prime time special, "Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr." WSB Radio simulcast the special which will also be live-streamed on wsbtv.com, wsbradio.com and ajc.com.
• 8:04 p.m. Channel 2 will observe a "moment of silence" to remember the official time of King's death. The AJC, AM750 News 95.5 WSB, KISS 104.1 and B98.5 will simulcast the moment of silence.
• 9 p.m. WSB Radio airs and encore of "Six Days in Atlanta"
• 11 p.m. Channel 2 Action News at 11 p.m. will air live reports from Atlanta to Memphis and Washington, DC

Cox Media Group