World

Washington then and now, 50 years after Martin Luther King assassination riots

Following the assassination of Martin Luther King, grieving and angry, rioters smashed windows, looted and burned buildings for several days, and at least 10 people lost their lives as a result of the violence.
A photo from April 6, 1968, showing pedestrians being waved away from a barred area by a gas-masked National Guard member guarding the area is placed on a easel near the present day corner of 7th and K Streets, in northwest Washington, on March 25, 2018. The April 4, 1968, assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. sparked rioting across neighborhoods in Washington. (File | AP)
A photo from April 6, 1968, showing pedestrians being waved away from a barred area by a gas-masked National Guard member guarding the area is placed on a easel near the present day corner of 7th and K Streets, in northwest Washington, on March 25, 2018. The April 4, 1968, assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. sparked rioting across neighborhoods in Washington. (File | AP)
Associated Press
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A April 6, 1968, photo of a National Guard soldier standing to try and quell rioting is placed on a easel near at the corner of present day 4th and H Streets in northeast Washington, on March 25, 2018. The assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., sparked rioting across neighborhoods in Washington. (File | AP)
A April 6, 1968, photo of a National Guard soldier standing to try and quell rioting is placed on a easel near at the corner of present day 4th and H Streets in northeast Washington, on March 25, 2018. The assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., sparked rioting across neighborhoods in Washington. (File | AP)
A April 6, 1968, photo of smoldering remains of a building is placed on a easel as people walk at the corner of the present day 7th and O Streets in northwest Washington, on March 17, 2018. The April 4, 1968, assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., sparked rioting across neighborhoods in Washington. (File | AP)
A April 6, 1968, photo of smoldering remains of a building is placed on a easel as people walk at the corner of the present day 7th and O Streets in northwest Washington, on March 17, 2018. The April 4, 1968, assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., sparked rioting across neighborhoods in Washington. (File | AP)
This April 5, 1968, photo, of people around debris covered sidewalks is placed on a easel in front of the same area in the block of 7th Street in northwest Washington, on March 26, 2018. The April 4, 1968 assassination of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., sparked rioting across neighborhoods in Washington. (File | AP)
This April 5, 1968, photo, of people around debris covered sidewalks is placed on a easel in front of the same area in the block of 7th Street in northwest Washington, on March 26, 2018. The April 4, 1968 assassination of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., sparked rioting across neighborhoods in Washington. (File | AP)
A April 6, 1968, photo of National Guard soldiers is placed on a easel at the present day location at the corner of 7th and K Streets in northwest Washington, on March 25, 2018. The April 4, 1968, assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., sparked rioting across neighborhoods in Washington. (File | AP)
A April 6, 1968, photo of National Guard soldiers is placed on a easel at the present day location at the corner of 7th and K Streets in northwest Washington, on March 25, 2018. The April 4, 1968, assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., sparked rioting across neighborhoods in Washington. (File | AP)
This April 8, 1968, photo of a National Guard soldier standing guard near building ruins is placed on a easel in front of the present day scene in northwest Washington, on March 25, 2018. The April 4, 1968, assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., sparked rioting across neighborhoods in Washington. (File | AP)
This April 8, 1968, photo of a National Guard soldier standing guard near building ruins is placed on a easel in front of the present day scene in northwest Washington, on March 25, 2018. The April 4, 1968, assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., sparked rioting across neighborhoods in Washington. (File | AP)
A April 7, 1968, photo of police keeping rifles at the ready during a home search, is placed on a easel in the present day area at 11th and K Streets in northwest in Washington, Saturday, March 17, 2018. The April 4, 1968, assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., sparked rioting across neighborhoods in Washington. (File | AP)
A April 7, 1968, photo of police keeping rifles at the ready during a home search, is placed on a easel in the present day area at 11th and K Streets in northwest in Washington, Saturday, March 17, 2018. The April 4, 1968, assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., sparked rioting across neighborhoods in Washington. (File | AP)
A April 6, 1968, photo of fireman around a fire engine is placed on a easel at the present day area near 14th and Irving Streets in northwest Washington on Sunday, March 25, 2018. The assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., on April 4, 1968, sparked rioting across neighborhoods in Washington. (File | AP)
A April 6, 1968, photo of fireman around a fire engine is placed on a easel at the present day area near 14th and Irving Streets in northwest Washington on Sunday, March 25, 2018. The assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., on April 4, 1968, sparked rioting across neighborhoods in Washington. (File | AP)
A April 6, 1968, photo of looted and burned buildings is placed on a easel at the present day shopping area near 14th and Kenyon Streets in northwest Washington, on March 25, 2018. The April 4, 1968, assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., sparked rioting across neighborhoods in Washington. (File | AP)
A April 6, 1968, photo of looted and burned buildings is placed on a easel at the present day shopping area near 14th and Kenyon Streets in northwest Washington, on March 25, 2018. The April 4, 1968, assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., sparked rioting across neighborhoods in Washington. (File | AP)
A April 6, 1968, photo of a National Guard truck and soldiers patrolling the trash covered street, is placed on a easel at the present day location on 14th Street near Park Avenue on northwest Washington, on March 25, 2018. The April 4, 1968, assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., sparked rioting across neighborhoods in Washington. (File | AP)
A April 6, 1968, photo of a National Guard truck and soldiers patrolling the trash covered street, is placed on a easel at the present day location on 14th Street near Park Avenue on northwest Washington, on March 25, 2018. The April 4, 1968, assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., sparked rioting across neighborhoods in Washington. (File | AP)
This June 24, 1968, photo of police patrolling is placed on a easel at the present day area on 14th and S Streets in northwest Washington, Saturday, March 17, 2018. The April 4, 1968, assassination of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., sparked rioting across neighborhoods in Washington. (File | AP)
This June 24, 1968, photo of police patrolling is placed on a easel at the present day area on 14th and S Streets in northwest Washington, Saturday, March 17, 2018. The April 4, 1968, assassination of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., sparked rioting across neighborhoods in Washington. (File | AP)
A April 6, 1968, photo of people standing near destroyed buildings is placed on a easel, as people cross present day 14th Street near Kenyon Street in northwest Washington on March 25, 2018. The April 4, 1968 assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. sparked rioting across neighborhoods in Washington. (File | AP)
A April 6, 1968, photo of people standing near destroyed buildings is placed on a easel, as people cross present day 14th Street near Kenyon Street in northwest Washington on March 25, 2018. The April 4, 1968 assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. sparked rioting across neighborhoods in Washington. (File | AP)
A April 6, 1968, photo of a National Guard soldier in front of a pile of jewelry store rubble is placed on a easel in front of current construction activity at the corner of 8th and H Streets in northeast Washington, on March 25, 2018. The April 4, 1968, assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., sparked rioting across neighborhoods in Washington. (File | AP)
A April 6, 1968, photo of a National Guard soldier in front of a pile of jewelry store rubble is placed on a easel in front of current construction activity at the corner of 8th and H Streets in northeast Washington, on March 25, 2018. The April 4, 1968, assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., sparked rioting across neighborhoods in Washington. (File | AP)
An April 7, 1968, photo showing Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, D-N.Y., stepping through the debris of a building razed by fire during a 22-block tour on foot, April 7, 1968, through the badly damaged area along 14th Street is placed on a easel at the present day corner of 7th and U Streets in northwest Washington, on March 28, 2018. The April 4, 1968 assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., sparked rioting across neighborhoods in Washington. (File | AP)
An April 7, 1968, photo showing Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, D-N.Y., stepping through the debris of a building razed by fire during a 22-block tour on foot, April 7, 1968, through the badly damaged area along 14th Street is placed on a easel at the present day corner of 7th and U Streets in northwest Washington, on March 28, 2018. The April 4, 1968 assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., sparked rioting across neighborhoods in Washington. (File | AP)
A April 4, 1968, photo of police in riot gear is placed on a easel, in front of the present day scene that shows the Frank D. Reeves Municipal Center at 14th and U Streets in northwest Washington on March 28, 2018. in Washington, DC, is seen in the background as people cross at the intersection of 14th Street and U Street, NW in Washington, Wednesday, March 28, 2018. The April 4, 1968, assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. sparked rioting that began in Washington at this intersection. (File | AP)
A April 4, 1968, photo of police in riot gear is placed on a easel, in front of the present day scene that shows the Frank D. Reeves Municipal Center at 14th and U Streets in northwest Washington on March 28, 2018. in Washington, DC, is seen in the background as people cross at the intersection of 14th Street and U Street, NW in Washington, Wednesday, March 28, 2018. The April 4, 1968, assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. sparked rioting that began in Washington at this intersection. (File | AP)
A March 31, 1968, photo of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. speaking from the cathedral's Canterbury Pulpit is placed on an easel in front of the present day pulpit as people walk by the Canterbury Pulpit at the National Cathedral in Washington, on March 26, 2018. Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke from the cathedral's Canterbury Pulpit to a capacity crowd at his last Sunday sermon before he was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis. (File | AP)
A March 31, 1968, photo of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. speaking from the cathedral's Canterbury Pulpit is placed on an easel in front of the present day pulpit as people walk by the Canterbury Pulpit at the National Cathedral in Washington, on March 26, 2018. Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke from the cathedral's Canterbury Pulpit to a capacity crowd at his last Sunday sermon before he was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis. (File | AP)
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