Ever see MLK in person?

[bobbieinok]

I did in the summer of 1960. I was home between my junior and senior year in college. I heard MLK was going to be in Tulsa, and I badly wanted to see him. My dad asked a colleague (who was a member of the local NAACP) if I could go with him.

The meeting was held in the largest black church in town (no place in the white part of town was available). I don't remember what he said. I just remember the honor the black community gave him and the pagentry of the evening.

The 6 in our group were the only whites there, and we sat way up in the balcony.

I've only found 2 sources to 'prove' that he was here - a black man I met at a church potluck years later who was there and a one sentence comment noted in the index of Black WallStreet, a book (by a black lawyer in Tulsa) about the context of the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot.

[ChazInAz]

1. I did.

He was speaking at Illinois Wesleyan University, which later became my Alma Mater.
I believe it was in 1963 or 1964, and my school in Springfield, Illinois made an optional field trip up there to hear him.
Though I remember very few details about his speech, his passion and sincerity moved the teenaged me and probably led to my lifelong liberalism.

[bobbieinok]

2. MLK major influence on my life as well.

One of the reasons I took part in a sit-in in the spring of my senior year (1961).* Arrested and found guilty.

* I find it cool that was the same year Obama was born!!

[redstatebluegirl]

3. I was 8 or 9 and went to IWU to see him with my Mom.

My Dad was an alum of Wesleyan so we were up front, can't remember the details, but I do remember how I felt that day. It was life changing even at such a young age.

[eleny]

4. From a distance in the crowd - March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, August 28, 1963

[lpbk2713]

5. I stayed at the Memphis motel where he was killed.

About two years before that. That's the closest I ever got to Dr MLK AFAIK.

[Dem_4_Life]

6. WOW that is such an honor.

You are so lucky to have seen him. He is a true idol and I wish he was alive during my time. Since I was born after he died I never got a chance.

I have had the opportunity to see and shake the hands of both John Kerry and Joe Biden. John Kerry I saw him at a rally, he is so tall and has HUGE hands with a super firm grip. And Joe Biden I met at a private fundraiser that I was volunteering for when Obama first ran in 2008! I wish I could have seen Obama and maybe someday I will get that honor.

Oh and during John Kerry's run I saw John Edwards in passing when volunteering for Kerry's campaign as I was in a group of volunteers in charge of the national media. The most exciting part of that was getting to shuttle an awesome camera man from CNN in my car to a church he was supposed to go to after his rally speech. It was a fun experience.