MLK in John Deere Country

I flew to Iowa to speak at Grinnell College on MLK Day. The weather was many degrees below freezing but the reception was warm.

I was scheduled to speak at 4:15 pm Monday. At 4 people from the community began streaming into the chapel-like auditorium: mostly white women, their eyes shining with anticipation.

On each chair Shea Howell had placed two Boggs Center brochures: “Re-Imagining Revolution“ and “Self-Evident Truths.” Doc Holbrook had set up a literature table. (We sold all our copies of The Next American Revolution).

At 4:15, when classes ended, people from the community were joined by hundreds of students, so many that they filled the balcony, and many stacks of chairs had to be brought in for the overflow.

I spoke from notes I had made following President Obama’s inaugural address. I said that, although I had not campaigned for MLK Day, I was delighted that it is our only national holiday that has become a time for reflection and looking in the mirror instead of pageantry, fireworks, barbecue, football and shopping.