BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (WAND) - So much has changed since the 1960s. Looking back, it doesn't seem it was that long ago.
Illinois Wesleyan University has photos, written articles and artifacts showcasing the moments Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. visited Bloomington. Meg Miner, the school archivist, preserves it for all to see and hear.
“History is not just something that's tucked away in our back pocket,” Miner said.
Dr. King visited the classrooms, spoke to community leaders and to the student body. Actually, it was a student’s idea to invite him both times. The first was in 1961 and the second was in 1966.
“Certainly, in the 1966 visit, he was much more well-known,” Miner said. “He won the Nobel (Prize) at that time.”
Back then, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 passed Congress. Dr. King faced a lingering question about race relations. He’d say more needs to be done. That was his call to action.
“The legacy that King left us was a challenge and he didn't just do that here. He did that everywhere,” Miner added. “He challenged the communities that he was in to be present ... o be active. To take note of what was going on.”
King’s 1966 speech is available to the public online.
