MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — The arrival of National Guard troops in Memphis is stirring memories of historical deployments, particularly during the violent civil rights era of the late 1960s. The echoes of that turbulent period resonate in the stories of long-time Memphians like Joe Calhoun and Al Lewis, who recall the soldiers on the streets as symbols of fear and oppression.
“You felt very uncomfortable just going about your daily routine,” Calhoun said of the past deployments. His reflections follow the recent announcement by President Donald Trump that the National Guard would be dispatched to combat rising crime rates across the city.
In 1968, the National Guard was called in during civil unrest following the assassination of civil rights leader Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. After violent clashes erupted, troops patrolled areas like Beale Street, invoking memories of a time when military presence was commonplace in the fight for civil rights.
Today, the National Guard aims to intervene in what continues to be a struggle against high violent crime rates in Memphis, where incidents of carjackings and homicides have plagued communities. The local government supports the deployment as a critical measure to restore safety, a point highlighted by Tennessee's Governor Bill Lee.
However, the current presence of troops has raised concerns among some residents, who fear that they might symbolize a return to historical trauma associated with state violence against marginalized communities. Calhoun has voiced his apprehension, noting, “I’ve got four grandchildren, so much of what I do is to help make a better world for them...”
The invasion of military forces during moments of civil unrest is not a new phenomenon for Memphis, a city steeped in civil rights history. As the National Guard units begin their patrols, community leaders are left to ponder the intersection of reinforcements for public safety and the shadows of a legacy that many hoped had faded.
Captured by the memories of former protests, Lewis reflects that current military presence might be different but does evoke echoes of past fears, questioning the necessity of such show of force. The city now grapples with how to maintain community safety while honoring its complex history.
As discussions continue around the National Guard’s role in Memphis, both nostalgic for and haunted by the past, the significance of today’s deployments remains to be seen. Will they bring safety and peace, or revive the specter of suppression? Only time will tell.
