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>>> AND FINALLY TONIGHT, TODAY MARKS THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF
THE ASSASSINATION OF THE REVEREND DR.
MARTIN LUTHER KING.
AND IN 1964, THE HEIGHT OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT AND QUITE
POSSIBLY THE PEAK OF HIS FAME, HE DELIVERED THE SPRINGFIELD
COLLEGE COMMENCEMENT SPEECH RIGHT HERE IN WESTERN NEW
ENGLAND.
BUT IT WAS A SPEECH THAT FOR SEVERAL REASONS ALMOST DIDN'T
HAPPEN.
"CONNECTING POINT"'S DAVE FRASER BRINGS US THE STORY.
>> IN 1964, SPRINGFIELD COLLEGE SHARED A MOMENT IN HISTORY OFTEN
OVERLOOKED BY HISTORIANS, AS CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST DR.
MARTIN LUTHER KING VISITED THE COLLEGE
TO RECEIVE AN HONORARY DEGREE AND DELIVER THE COMMENCEMENT
SPEECH TO THE GRADUATING CLASS.
>> MARTIN LUTHER KING'S VISIT TO SPRINGFIELD COLLEGE OCCURRED AT
A REMARKABLE TIME IN AMERICAN HISTORY.
IT WAS RIGHT IN THE SWEET SPOT OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.
THIS WAS JUST A FEW MONTHS OUT FROM THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON,
THE I HAVE A DREAM SPEECH, ARGUABLY THE MOST FAMOUS SPEECH
IN AMERICAN HISTORY.
IT WAS A FEW MONTHS BEFORE KING RECEIVED THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE.
I THINK HE REALLY ARRIVED HERE AT THE ABSOLUTE APEX OF HIS
FAME.
>> THE COLLEGE WAS NOT A VERY DIVERSE PLACE AT THE TIME OF DRE
NOT IN FAVOR OF HAVING A CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST ON CAMPUS.
>> THERE WAS AN EFFORT TO GET THE COLLEGE PRESIDENT, GLEN
OLDS, TO RENEGE ON THIS INVITATION, AN EFFORT THAT CAME
FROM A NUMBER OF PLACES, MOST NOTABLY THE F.B.I.
THERE REALLY WAS AN ATTEMPT TO DISCREDIT KING, TO LIMIT HIS
INFLUENCE, THAT IT DID EXTEND EVEN TO A SMALL CAMPUS LIKE
SPRINGFIELD COLLEGE.
AND THIS BECAME A REAL MOMENT OF TRUTH FOR THE COLLEGE PRESIDENT,
GLEN OLDS.
HE WAVERED SOME BUT ULTIMATELY DID THE RIGHT THING.
IN THE THREE DAYS BEFORE THE COMMENCEMENT, KING WAS IN JAIL
IN FLORIDA, HE BEEN ARRESTED ON JUNE 11 FOR HAVING THE AUDACITY
TO ORDER FOOD IN A WHITES ONLY ESTABLISHMENT.
HE WAS IN JAIL ON THE 11, 12 AND 13TH AND IT WAS TOUCH AND GO AS
TO WHETHER HE WOULD MAKE IT HERE ON THE 14TH, BUT HE DID.
>> BARRY BROOKS WAS A MEMBER OF THE CLASS OF 1964.
HE WAS THRILLED THAT THE END OF HIS FOUR-YEAR COLLEGE CAREER
WOULD BE HIGHLIGHTED BY DR.
KING'S SPEECH.
>> JUST EXCITEMENT BECAUSE HE WAS ONE OF OUR NATIONAL HEROS, A
VERY SPECIAL PERSON.
AND FOR HIM TO BE COMING TO SPRINGFIELD, THE YEAR THAT I
HAPPENED TO BE GRADUATING, SEEMED LIKE A BIG DEAL.
AND THERE WASN'T A LOT OF DIVERSITY ON CAMPUS IN OUR TIME.
SOME, BUT IT SEEMED LIKE A SPECIAL GIFT TO US THAT OUR
FAVORITE PERSON, OUR HERO, WAS GOING TO BE THE SPEAKER.
AND THAT WAS A WONDERFUL WAY TO CLOSE OUR CAREER.
>> CAME UP TO CAMPUS, THERE WAS A PRESS CONFERENCE
THE GRADUATION ITSELF WAS IN THE OLD FIELD HOUSE WHICH WAS A
QUONS IT HUT THAT LONG SINCE BEEN TORN DOWN.
IT WAS QUITE A MEMORABLE SPEECH AND A VERY PROUD MOMENT FOR THIS
INSTITUTION.
>> TECHNOLOGICAL GENIUS, WE ARE MADE OF THIS WORLD NEIGHBORHOOD.
NOW WE MUST ALL LEARN TO LIVE TOGETHER AS BROTHERS OR WE WILL
ALL PERISH TOGETHER AS FOOLS.
>> JUST FOUR SHORT YEARS FROM THE TIME THAT DR.
KING DELIVERED THE COMMENCEMENT SPEECH AT
SPRINGFIELD COLLEGE, HE WOULD BE ASSASSINATED ON APRIL 4, 1968.
>> TREMENDOUS SADNESS, SHOCK, SOME ANGER.
BECAUSE HE WAS OUR NUMBER ONE HERO AT THE TIME.
AND HE SEEMED DETERMINED AND BOUND TO CHANGE THINGS IN THE
COUNTRY IN TERMS OF HOW PEOPLE WERE TREATED.
AND SOME LEVEL OF EQUITY AND FAIRNESS.
AND TO HAVE HIM TAKEN AWAY LIKE THAT, BY VIOLENCE, WAS VERY
UNSETTLING AND ANGERING.
YOU CRY, YOU'RE ANGRY.
ALL THE EMOTIONS.
>> I FIND THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT TO BE ONE OF THE MOST
HOPEFUL AND INSPIRING PERIODS OF AMERICAN HISTORY.
IT'S ONE THAT I HOPE CAN ENERGIZE YOUNG PEOPLE TODAY TO
HELP PUSH FOR POSITIVE CHANGE, THAT I THINK WE STILL NEED AS WE
EVOLVE, TO HOPEFULLY BECOME WHAT OUR FOUNDING FATHERS AND GREAT
PATRIOTS LIKE DR.
KING ENVISIONED THAT WE COULD BE.