MLK Tribute Exhibit “Carrying On The Dream” Opens In Lake Charles

Celebrate Black History Month right here at home! Go see the powerful exhibit "Carrying On The Dream," presented by Raising Cane’s. The free exhibit is open from 10 am to 6 pm now through Thursday, February 10, at the Lake Charles Civic Center, 900 Lakeshore Drive in Lake Charles. On display are regional civil rights artifacts, and an original 1966 Cadillac 616 Superior Coach hearse. The hears, in particular, is the one that transported the body of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. after his assassination at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennesee. The hearse carried King from the hospital, to the funeral home, and to the airport in Memphis where Coretta Scott King waited to receive her husband's body.

The exhibit is a tribute to the late Reverand and chronicles the human rights struggle of the civil rights movement in America. Thanks to Todd Graves, CEO, and founder of Raising Cane’s, the 66' Cadillac hearse is on display for the first time. He had the hearse restored in 2018 after it had been kept in storage for decades. Graves believed the King's legacy and the vehicle's place in history needed to be shared. Educating ourselves about history enables us to prevent making mistakes from the past.

To that point, Graves addressed the violent insurrection on January 6 while speaking about the "Carrying On The Dream" exhibit and why people of all ages should see it. He said,

“It’s important that the next generation really understands how the contributions of Martin Luther King Jr. changed the world,” Graves continued. “Many of us did not get a chance to hear MLK during his lifetime, so I am hoping they will be able to appreciate him and his work through this tribute to honor his life.”

See the "Carrying On The Dream" presented by Raising Cane's today! The moving exhibit is open from 10 am to 6 pm now through Thursday, February 10 at the Lake Charles Civic Center. The Dr. King tribute will move on the UL University and be on display Tuesday, Feb. 15, through Saturday, Feb. 19, at Blackham Coliseum, 2330 Johnston St. Operating hours will be 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.