A Crowd of Iowans Showed Up To Hear Dr. King in 1960. Would He Draw the Same in 2024?

Today’s winter storm – even by Iowa standards – is brutal and threatens to impact turnout for the Iowa caucuses. Americans everywhere are sidelined by freezing temperatures and blizzard conditions on this year’s Dr. Martin Luther King Day, a federal holiday for most the nation.

In 1960 King braved the cold weather in Ames, Iowa, to deliver a speech at Iowa State University. He had been invited by the Student Religious Council, and there was an overflow crowd. According to press reports, there were 1,500 people in attendance. At the time, he was a 30-year-old who the university described as “the internationally recognized humanist.”

But in the political climate of 2024, King’s message of nonviolence and love might not bring hundreds out in the cold. Former President Dr. Trump – accused of inciting an insurrection – has a decisive lead over his Republican rivals in the Iowa caucuses which is America’s first glimpse at the ramp-up to the fall’s presidential election.

“He would unequivocally condemn white supremacy and racism in all of their forms,” said Dr. Sekou Franklin, professor at Middle Tennessee State. “Dr. King would condemn other forms of systemic inequality as well – such as poverty. My best guess is that King would make these statements without being overly partisan and personal. His focus would probably be on evil actions, which some nonviolent theorists distinguish from evil people.”

During his speech in 1960, King did disavow violence, saying that “history is replete with the bleached bones of nations which have tried violence” to change society.

He also condemned racism.

Newspaper accounts record that King said, “Black supremacy would be as dangerous as white supremacy. I am not interested in rising from a position of disadvantage to a position of advantage.”

The Iowa State University campus is closed today and so are the city offices in Ames. Cold weather aside, it is also the King Holiday, and in honor of the young Baptist preacher who visited the city 64 years ago, a virtual celebration is planned. On social media residents have been asked to share their favorite quote from King. Dozens of them have been posted.

The country’s attention has been drawn to the bitter cold in Iowa and elsewhere, and in most instances, acts of service to pay tribute to King — on the national holiday that is his birthday – have been rescheduled. There is also growing concern that fewer Iowans will caucus tonight.

Pundits and polls give the win to Donald Trump, and a decisive victory will serve to further verify his hold on the Republican Party. Former Ambassador Nikki Haley and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis will battle for second place. Of those three, not one is considered a voice for social justice.

Haley recently came under fire for her evasive answer about the cause of the Civil War. DeSantis has focused on dismantling Critical Race Theory and misrepresented America’s role in slavery while Donald Trump has made numerous statements suggesting his racial bias.

Middle Tennessee State’s Franklin predicts a much different reception for King if he arrived in Iowa today.

“His comments [Dr. King’s] would most certainly garner national attention and provide some context for voters in Iowa and everywhere else to think about,” Franklin stated. “My best guess is that King would be condemned by all the GOP candidates in the Iowa primary if he gave the speech today.”

Image Credits: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s speech was covered by the Ames Tribune..