James Earl Ray
1928 – 1998

James Earl Ray

American criminal, convicted for the murder of civil rights activist and Nobel peace prize laureate Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968

convict
Born
1928-03-10, Alton
Died
1998-04-23
Birthplace state
Illinois

Biography

James Earl Ray was an American fugitive who was convicted of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 4, 1968.

Occupation

James Earl Ray is recorded as a convict, born in Illinois (1928–1998).

Connections to Illinois

James Earl Ray was born in Alton, Illinois in 1928. Explore other notable figures from Illinois, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

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Everything a full report reveals about Alton

James Earl Ray came from Alton. A full Aubrey report on Alton pulls together everything the historical record holds about that place, from the first settlers to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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More notable figures from Illinois

Other historical figures born in Illinois, ranked by historical prominence.

Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
president of the United States from 1981 to 1989 and actor (1911-2004)
Walt Disney
Walt Disney
American animator, producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor and entrepreneur, founder of The Walt Disney Company (1901–1966)
Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway
American author and journalist (1899–1961)
Robin Williams
Robin Williams
American actor and comedian (1951–2014)
Ray Bradbury
Ray Bradbury
American author and screenwriter (1920–2012)
Bobby Fischer
Bobby Fischer
American chess player (1943–2008)
James Watson
James Watson
American molecular biologist, geneticist, zoologist and Nobel Laureate (1928–2025)

Frequently asked about James Earl Ray

Who was James Earl Ray?
James Earl Ray was American criminal, convicted for the murder of civil rights activist and Nobel peace prize laureate Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968, born in Illinois (1928 – 1998).
When and where was James Earl Ray born?
James Earl Ray was born on 1928-03-10 in Alton.
When did James Earl Ray die?
James died on 1998-04-23.
What was James Earl Ray known for?
James Earl Ray is recorded as a convict.
Source

Biographical content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia.

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