Martin Luther King convocation at the University of Iowa, April 9, 1968

Speaker 1: [inaudible]. Larry Barrett: This is Larry Barrett speaking from the Old Capitol on the Pentacrest of the University of Iowa, overlooking the East Approach to the Capitol, where in just a moment the University will offer a service in memory of the late Martin Luther King Jr. Speakers to be representative of the University will be the University President, Howard R. Bowen, Student Body President, Mr. Varner, and representing the Afro-American students, James Rogers. Larry Barrett: The tolling of the bell here on Old Capitol will be the last reminder to stragglers on the campus that the ceremony is about to begin. And then [William Coder], who often presides over University ceremonials will act as Master of Ceremonies. The members of the Black community here on the campus are making a separate entrance at just this point. The crowd on the East Steps will make way for them, I'm quite sure, and they will come forward to present a black wreath on the dais in front of Old Capitol. That is happening now. A group of some 20 Black students at the University advancing along the sidewalk through the crowd. In the forefront, two small Negro youngsters carrying a black wreath. The crowd parts in front of them now, as they approach the speaker's platform, where are arrayed the chairs, the microphones for the ceremony, which will begin shortly. Larry Barrett: The line now has stopped, awaiting the appropriate moment. And we now hear the tolling of the bell on Old Capitol, which marks the beginning of this memorial to Martin Luther King at the University of Iowa. William Coder: To open this memorial ceremony for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, I now present Mr. Richard Park, graduate student in the School of Religion, who will give the invocation. Richard Park: Let us pray. Almighty and Eternal God, we call upon your presence as we, within this academic community, share in the national sorrow over the death of Martin Luther King, a person whose ideals and goals reflected a desire, which is not uncommon to any man, the desire that every man be fully and equally accepted as a human being, a genuine person. And although we acknowledge our inability to completely and immediately surmount all obstacles of racial discrimination and injustice, we pray for the knowledge and guidance necessary for us to contribute in some way toward as full a realization of this goal as possible. Amen. William Coder: Mr. James Rodger, graduate student in American civilization and a member of the Afro-American Association, will present readings from Dr. King. James Rodger: Last night on national television, I was fortunate enough to see the widow of Martin Luther King address a large Memphis rally. Mrs. King said that if her slain husband was alive today, he would still struggle for a world in which love, justice, and peace would prevail, a world, Mrs. King said, in which all men, regardless of color or nationality, would join together in a common brotherhood. I think that it is in that mood, in that spirit, that we are assembled here today. James Rodger: Now, I realize that there are those among us, myself included, who find it difficult or embarrassing to use words like compassion, dignity, justice, and love. For the Black man in America, this is a dark and difficult hour, but I believe that it is only fitting that we as concerned Americans bear witness to this tragic occasion, not in the clutches of useless despair or anguish, but in the realization that Martin Luther King's death is a manifesto for renewed involvement, renewed obligations, and renewed militant action to initiate necessary social change. James Rodger: Therefore, with this understanding, I would like to share with you some excerpts from Martin Luther King's historic speech delivered during the March on Washington in 1963. King said, "Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy; now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation and racism to the sunlit path of racial justice; now is the time to lift the nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood; now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children. James Rodger: There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his full citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges. The marvelous new militancy, which has engulfed the Negro community, must not lead us to a distrust of all white people. For many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. No, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their selfhood and dignity by a sign stating, 'For Whites Only.' We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and the Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. James Rodger: Now, I say to you today, my friends, that even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed, 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.' I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave masters will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the people's injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." James Rodger: This is our hope, this is the faith. And with this faith, we will be able to yield out of the mountain of despair a monument of hope. And in one of his final speeches at Grinnell College, Martin Luther King concluded that anyone who lives by the racist creed, that is that one race is superior to another, is sleeping through a revolution. William Coder: Mr. Carl Varner, Junior in the College of Liberal Arts, and President of the University of Iowa Student Body. Mr. Varner. Carl Varner: Martin Luther King is dead, but Stokely Carmichael lives on. It is now imperative that this American society not allowed the philosophy of non-violence, so articulately expressed by Dr. King to die with him, or else we will sit around in our complacency and watch our cities burn. Because if we don't act, then Stokely Carmichael will. Carl Varner: The Black people of this country are tired of waiting on a society that connotes white with good and Black with bad. They no longer desire to associate with a society that spends $30 billion a year on a senseless war 10,000 miles away, and yet cannot afford to spend one 10th of that amount for social justice in this country. Carl Varner: The death of Dr. King, besides being a blight on the conscience of this country, underscores the necessity for this society to start putting its money where its words have been. The only way for the United States to avert violence in the cities is not to put national guardsman every three feet with fixed bayonets, but to recognize and act to eliminate the ghettos and slums of our urban areas. To end the war in Vietnam would be futile if we still are drafted to fight in Chicago or Detroit. Carl Varner: The death of Martin Luther King does not in itself, call us to action, but we must do all we can to be certain that his life and work were not in vain, because if we don't act then the injustice perpetuated by the white man will result in injustices to the white man in the next few years. Carl Varner: It is time for the society of this country, of which I am a part, to wake up to its own hypocrisy. The white capitalist society has much to lose from rioting and rebellion while the Black man has little to lose. We must act and act immediately to avert the violence that Martin Luther King so deeply deplored. Carl Varner: Now, I'd like to announce several events that will be held this afternoon, sponsored by the Student Senate and carried out by the Afro-American Society. At 11:30 this morning, in the Illinois room of the Union, there will be a seminar and panel discussion entitled, Where Do We Go From Here? Which features a recording by Malcolm X called the Ballot or the Bullet. And then at 2:30, there'll be workshops in several of the third floor rooms of the Union on the problems of the Black man in American society today. William Coder: And now, President Howard Bowen. President Bowen. Howard R. Bowen: Martin Luther King was a forward looking man. He presented to America, not recriminations for past injustices nor hatred growing out of past indignity, rather he presented a vision for the future to be accomplished by awakening the conscience of the American people. He said, as Jim Rogers had just read to us, "I have a dream that one day, this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed. We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal." Howard R. Bowen: It is up to us today in the spirit of Martin Luther King, to look into our own consciences and ask, "What can we do? We who are students and staff members of this University and citizens of Iowa City and of this state, what can we do to help Dr. King's dream come true?" But we cannot by ourselves solve the national problem of equality among men, but with a great University at our disposal, we can and must help. Howard R. Bowen: At a time of national sorrow and shame, it is easy to give in to our emotions through rhetoric, and then when the shock subsides to fall back into an all too familiar routine. The test of our consciences comes not from what we say, but from what we do. And it comes not from what we do over one weekend, but rather what we do in a sustained fashion over months and years. Howard R. Bowen: In the past few days, I have discussed with students and staff, the question of, what should we do? And from these discussions have emerged six concrete proposals, and I shall present them to you and ask your support for them. Howard R. Bowen: First and foremost, I should like to ask a new sense of dedication and commitment on the part of every member of the University, every citizen of Iowa City, every organization to which we belong, a new sense of dedication and commitment to the cause of equality among men. No one of us, white or Black, has a clear conscience in this matter. Howard R. Bowen: Second, I suggest that individually and in groups, we consider the current status of federal and state legislation on civil rights, education, and economic opportunity, and express our views to congressional leaders. It is obvious that bolder and more comprehensive provision for jobs, family income, education, and housing are needed without delay. Howard R. Bowen: Third, I ask that the steering committee of our new and successful Action Studies Program, explore opportunities for relevant study and community service. We need to enlarge our understanding of the Afro-American culture, of interracial relations, of poverty, human rights, and related matters. And I refer to programs not only for next week or for the rest of this year, but also for next year and the years ahead. Howard R. Bowen: Fourth, the dean of faculty, Mr. Boyd, is making plans to convene a meeting of interested faculty members to review our educational and research activities in the areas of Afro-American culture, interracial relations, poverty, and related areas. And to consider the introduction of new courses or new programs. Howard R. Bowen: This group of faculty members will include persons from areas such as law and medicine, dentistry, nursing, education, school of letters, economics, history, political science, sociology, religion, social work, and many other fields. And this group will undoubtedly consider the establishment of an interdisciplinary center or institute of Afro-American studies. And we'll also consider linkages to our recently established and exciting program on human rights. Howard R. Bowen: Fifth, the University has been involved for several years in Upward Bound, which is financed partly by federal funds. And also we have been involved in assistance to LeMoyne College and Rust College, both predominantly Negro institutions, located in the Memphis area. I ask that we continue and strengthen these programs. I particularly hope that we shall carry on and extend our increasingly active relationships with LeMoyne and Rust colleges. These institutions are doing more for Negro education than we shall ever do, and they deserve our continuing support. Howard R. Bowen: They have expectations of help from us, which we should not disappoint. The fact that they are located in the Memphis area, where Dr. King died, perhaps gives them special significance. I would suggest that the local committee relay as it is known, be strengthened by the addition of faculty, students, and citizens of Iowa City, and that their efforts be redoubled. Howard R. Bowen: Sixth, I ask that we join together students, staff, and Iowa Citians, and citizens of the state, to welcome more students of Negro and other minority backgrounds to study at the University of Iowa. The University has been working on this objective for several years and we know it is not easy to achieve. There are problems in locating qualified students, there are problems relating to the nature of our community, which in spite of good intentions, is not always hospitable to minority groups. Howard R. Bowen: There is need in some cases for special programs and tutoring. And most of all, the costs for financial aid is very heavy, but these are difficulties to be overcome, not reasons for inaction. I expect to authorize the Dean of Admissions and Records to increase his staff for the express purpose of identifying and counseling qualified Negro and other minority students and helping to open the door of opportunity for them at this University. But when these students arrive, they will need substantial financial aid, and University funds in this area are very limited. And here is where we can all help. Howard R. Bowen: I suggest that we establish the Martin Luther King scholarship fund and that we, students, faculty, townspeople, and friends of the University contribute to this fund. I am thinking of a fund of perhaps $50,000 a year. This in combination with modest loans would provide opportunities for perhaps 35 to 50 additional students of minority background. These students might be known as Martin Luther King scholars. Their scholarships would perpetuate on this campus, the name and the ideals of the man we honor today. Howard R. Bowen: Would you be willing to support such a program? The cost might be shared more or less equally among students, faculty, and townspeople, and other citizens of Iowa. The cost of students might be of the order of a dollar or two a year. I am inviting a small group of students, faculty, and Iowa Citians to serve as a steering committee to consider the establishment of the Martin Luther King Scholarship Fund. They will report in a few days, and if they recommend the creation of the fund, then plans for raising the money will go forward promptly. Your help will be needed both in solicitation and in giving, but don't feel that you must wait for an official campaign, send your contributions to my office today and I will see that they are used for scholarships for Negro students. Howard R. Bowen: Also, please let me know by postcard or telephone, how you feel about the Martin Luther King Scholarship Fund and how you feel about what we in this University ought to be doing. I have presented a six point program by which those of us here in Iowa City might begin to do our part in carrying on the ideals and the work of Martin Luther King. The program doubtless could be improved. It strikes me as rather too small and too unimaginative in relation to the dream of Martin Luther King. If you have ideas that are better, please come forward with them, but in the meantime, let us get to work and let us make a new beginning. Richard Park: Let us pray. Our Father, as we now return to our various spheres of life in the academic community, we pray for the blessings of rational and spiritual insight, insight that can be expressed through constructive, united, and responsible efforts, such as those which have been outlined today. And may each of us consistently maintain a personal sense of commitment to your will for the equality of all mankind. Amen. Larry Barrett: Again the tolling of the bell, atop the Old Capitol to mark the conclusion now of this ceremony, offered to the memory of Martin Luther King Jr. Today he will be buried in the South-View Cemetery outside Atlanta. Ceremonies will begin shortly. And this ceremony here on the East Steps of Old Capitol has been timed undoubtedly to coincide with the national attention, which will be given shortly to those honors and eulogies which will be presented in Atlanta. Larry Barrett: A crowd of some two to 4,000 students and faculty we should estimate, are now dispersing from the East Approach to Old Capitol. During the ceremony, which was directed by William Coder, you heard the voices of James Rogers reading from the works of Martin Luther King, Carl Varner, Student Body President, here at the University, and the President of the University himself, Howard R. Bowen. Larry Barrett: President Bowen has offered a six point plan of ways in which we might implement the dream that Martin Luther King had. And we'll give increased coverage as details of the plan become more readily available. Now most of the students have retired. The Afro-American students who carried forth the Black wreath to place before the Old Capitol are still congregated directly in front of the point from which the speakers appeared this morning. Larry Barrett: Now this is Larry Barrett bidding you good morning from the Old Capitol on the Pentacrest of the University of Iowa. These are the broadcasting facilities of the University of Iowa.