King 's assassination ( April 4 , 1968 ) intensified the strike . Mayor Loeb and others feared rioting , which had already begun in Washington , D.C. , Federal officials , including Attorney General Ramsey Clark , urged Loeb to make concessions to the strikers in order to avoid violence . Loeb refused . On April 8 , a completely silent march with the SCLC and Coretta Scott King attracted 42,000 participants . The strike ended on April 16 , 1968 , with a settlement that included union recognition and wage increases , although additional strikes had to be threatened to force the City of Memphis to honor its agreements . The period was a turning point for black activism and union activity in Memphis
King 's assassination
Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
Memphis sanitation strike