The Lorraine Represents American History, Legacy and the Future

Sam Pollard has received a total of nine Emmy nominations, three wins and last month was bestowed  the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award at the 47th Annual News & Documentary Awards.  His documentary subjects consistently reflect of his unwavering finger on the pulse of Black American history and culture.  So, it comes as no surprise that The Lorraine would be the latest in his cinematic griot style of filmmaking.

On April 4, 1968, Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on the balcony of The Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. But, the story of The Lorraine and its charismatic owners, Walter and Loree Bailey, neither started nor ended there. In the shadow of this horrific event, the full story of The Lorraine remained obscured.

Hidden no more, this fascinating film sheds light on the forgotten history of this institution which served as a safe haven for African Americans traveling during segregation and Jim Crow. Did you know that Coretta Scott King was vehemently against making The Lorraine a history landmark or museum?  Yup, that happened and the other reason that she and other dignitaries were simultaneously working on getting Dr.King’s birthday signed into law.

Pollard doesn’t shy away the racial inequality of the time, the global grief and angst coupled with the impact this landmark and that King’s legacy is unfortunately still relevant today. However, King’s legacy continues to thrive and survive in the Tennessee Three (Justin Jones, Justin Pearson and Gloria Jones), reminding our country that the  power of the Lorraine is remembering it is the antidote to apathy.

During one of the most poignant moments, it was revealed that an article that released about half a year ago claimed over half of a group of New Jersey third graders don’t even know who Dr. Martin Luther King is after being shown his photograph. For this reason alone, The Lorraine is a perfect example of how if history is not taught, if history is not shared, then the legacy of Dr. King and the civil rights movement itself will completely be forgotten. It is up to this generation to ensure that never occurs in this lifetime.