I want whomever doesn't cost the city anything to get control.  The place is a money pit now.  I would love to see an audit of it.  

The condition of the place is a disgrace to MLK and Memphis.

It is utterly pitiful they can't keep the place painted and are sitting there acting like they are doing a good job.??

Let the people who are in charge of the museum run it. There are much bigger problems in Memphis than a museum that needs to be painted!!!

City of Memphis needs to be MORE concerned about the gangs, the drugs, and the guns in our schools than a building that needs a bit of paint.

Try concentrating on the CRIME in Memphis!!!

Grow up!!!

The city of Memphis doesn't do a good job of managing anything.  Coporate control of the Museum will only improve the situation.  The Museum is rich in history and deserves to saved.

i think that they need to let the people in charge do their job and in all do time it will all  be worth it thats whats wrong with memphis as soon as we get something thats going good here come somebody tring to change things

memhis really do have other things to worry about like high crimes

the only thing i have to say is let my people go and find some body else to pick on

the museum is the heart of memphis u take that away and we have nothing

The museum should not be the burden of The State of Tennessee.

Other cities have cultural museums and they maintain them at their own expense. I don't see any reason why this should be different.

bulldoze the place and build some section 8 housing, or a jail for the black thugs that run this city, and I mean herenton and his black criminal cronies

How many people honestly go to this museum anyhow?  Donate or sell the stuff to The Smithsonian Museum, a place you know it will be taken care of.  
Not to mention more people would see it on display there .. give Memphis a few more years and people won't be coming to that city to "vacation" let alone come to walk thru a museum.

If the media would get their facts right and then report the truth - then maybe people could respond to the issues at hand more knowledgably.  The information at the top is incorrect.  The Museum is now run by a private foundation.  Those of us who want change think it should be run by a public board that includes more community people instead of mostly corporate executives.

And by the way, we are not asking for the city to run it, we are wanting it to get similar funding from the city that the Brooks, Pink Palace and Memphis Zoo (as well as others) get every year.  They get six figure funding every year.  The museum does not get funding from the city - why - because they have not asked for it , because then their actions would be accountable to the public.  

We only want to see it operate better than it presently is and become more of a center for learning than a tourist site.  Currently only 10% of their visitors are local people - there are no ongoing programs for children - no civil rights library or educational forums for adults.  This info came from the executive director herself.  

All they have are events that bring in big names for one day and cost big bucks.  Events can be good for some things , but we want to see something that will impact this community and help something good come out of the place where Dr. King was murdered.  There does not seem to be a vision or desire for that with the current structure.  

Now the private board that runs it (and has let it run down) is asking for a 50-year lease from the state of Tennessee, who owns the building and the artifacts.  They tried to buy it for $1, but backed off because of our protests.  

This museum may not mean anything to some, but it holds great meaning and potential to many others, who can learn and grow from the history chronicled there.   The racial divisions and constant fear of violence in our city could be addressed through programs and forums offered at this museum.  

The only people who have a problem with change for the better are those who are more concerned about retaining power, promoting self-interests and getting a paycheck.  

   

gimme a break. i mean really, just get rid of the building and donate the stuff, like someone said. lets try and fix the crime rate and not worryign about stuff in a museum, just because the museum would be under new management dosent mean they loose their hertiage!

Response to tiredofmemphislife:

I wonder if your comments would be so cavalier if this were other museumsor the Memphis Zoo...  you really do sound tired of life period - not just in Memphis - please get some help.

I love that the city of Memphis will throw all kinds of money at a dying private school (Lemoyne), but can't seem to cough up a little chunk of that to save a landmark.  If we ever expect to revive our tourism industry we have to use what we've got.  We can't just rely on Graceland to save us.  And hey, if they are successful enough in bringing in tourists, that means more tax money for the state and city, whereas, the city cannot possibly hope to recoup any of the money given to Lemoyne Owen College.

The cvil rights movement was a sham,farce if you will.As someone young who wanted very much to be proud to be a part of a generation that would end the unfairness of racial desegregation.Now as an older person who is at a resting place just before going to the final resting place I realize we have failed!The worm has turned and it's not white peoples fault.I found it interesting that Clarence Thomas explains in his book that as a young man he attended a civil rights rally and when he arrived home that night he got on his knees and prayed to god to remove the hatred from his heart and mind.What did he see and hear at that rally to cause him to react in such way? I think I know because the Black Panthers were very active in that time spreading hatred and establishing a plan to achieve Black Power!Recently,I saw a picture of the protesters at Jena and it reminded me of the old civil rights movement as I looked upon a black fist raised facing foward! OH,RAP WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO US?The great harm  you have caused in our great nation.WE are good people and the Black Muslims still to this day say that white people are born with evil and think like pigs because we eat pork.What kind of cRAP is that?The first time I heard "white devil" was from a muslim  who was mentoring to someone young.For more than forty days I heard all the brain washing they use to save a young black man and I know it's full of hate!The second time I heard white devil was when John Ford made headlines with the term.        Now I did go into Javier's mind and look around in the recent past and noticed that as he was proud that he had taken credit for increasing black employment at the assessors office of Rita Clark.That is telling of his mindset in that he has absolutely no regards for the  hispanic ,asians,or caucasians.But he is the son of activist so that is what he is I guess.  Now A.C. can start to end unfairness by ending the 5 percent minority contractors get on  county bids.What's fair about that?And the mayor of Memphis should tell the Black police assoc. to stop it and find a new name for their group.And as AMERICANs we must put an end to affirmative actions for any race of people.  We must not forget that we have an enemy within as our first casualties in Afganistan found out.              Now I did go up on the mountain top and saw to the south a group of Americans looking up at the moon discussing  ways of transporting  and designing  the first city up there.Our challenges for the future are great and we must get on with the business of educating our youth meet those responsibilities.