MU| F e a t u r e s
In one case, two people contacted Paul
Hoffman ’54, MU’s dean of men at the time,
telling him what they had heard at a local
bar. A man well known at the bar, who was
known to carry a gun and oppose integration,
reportedly said, “We are going to have a party
for King and no one is going to stop us.”
Hoffman shared the information with the
Indiana State Police.
Many of the letters expressed anger at King’s
opposition to the war. One note from Macy,
Ind., read, “We over this way feel outraged
that your school would allow the unpatriotic
and communistic Dr. Martin Luther King to
speak at an Indiana college, which we believed
to be an excellent institution.”
The day came, but poor weather conditions
prevented King from landing a small private
plane in nearby Servia and the speech was
canceled. It may have been just as well.
Tensions were elevated and college officials
reflected afterward that they were ill-prepared
for any violence. They rescheduled for
Feb. 1, 1968, and made better preparations.
This time, the auditorium’s doors and
windows were locked and the lights left on all
night before. Faculty and administrators stood
watch. What Magaro remembers about that
night is “nobody slept.” Her dad was restless
and on the phone. He had received death
threats leading up to King’s visit, including
two that Magaro received when she answered
the family telephone.
“Very few people knew about the phone calls
or threats or the letters he received daily,” said
Magaro. The FBI was involved, “more than
anybody realized.”
Dr. King walks
across campus with
colleague Andrew
Young at his side in
photos at top, above
and at right. President
Helman is to the right
of King in photos
above and at right.
Robert Mock, then
campus pastor, carries
a brief case.
When light finally came on Feb. 1, President
Helman drove his own car to the Fort Wayne
airport to meet Dr. King. Police and the FBI
had cars blocking every intersection between
Baer Field and North Manchester. Students
waited in the pouring rain to pass a security
check to enter the gymnasium. Police officers
Manchester | 11