Martin Luther King Jr.'s 1964 Speech at Drew
Forty-five years ago, the Madison Eagle held nothing back.
"The best-attended cultural event in this area’s history took place on the Drew University campus last Wednesday evening, when 5,000 local and nearby residents overflowed three buildings and onto the campus for the privilege of hearing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the civil rights Messiah."
King was here on February 4, 1964, at the invitation of the late Dr. George Kelsey, the Henry Anson Buttz Professor of Christian Ethics.
The New York Times credited Kelsey, who had been King's professor when they were both at Morehouse College, with being "largely responsible for the young Martin Luther King Jr.'s decision to dedicate his life to the ministry."
A listing of campus events celebrating the anniversary of the speech and the lasting effects of his words at Drew can be found at http://www.drew.edu/depts/alumni.aspx?id=55090.
Audio of Martin Luther King Jr. at Drew
Listen to an excerpt of King speaking on the American dream.
A full-length recording, press coverage and photos are available at http://www.drew.edu/Default-Content.aspx?id=5919.
