On January 21, 1965… 

…more than 8,000 students, faculty, and community members gathered inside Rec Hall on Penn State’s campus to hear an address by newly awarded Nobel Prize winner, 35-year-old Martin Luther King Jr.

During his address on the future of integration, King spoke about the vast progress that had been made in the struggle for racial justice, but acknowledged that “we have a long, long way to go before the problem is solved.” (The speech is both inspiring and motivating. Read the full text here.)

Decades later, on the 54th anniversary of the March on Washington, State College dedicated Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza on Fraser Street, a space meant to serve as both a memorial and an active public place for our community to gather.

Next time you’re walking down Fraser Street, take a minute to check out the photos prominently featured near the entrance to the plaza; they’re images from King’s visit to our very own small town.

Martin Luther King Jr. takes the stage at Rec Hall in 1965. Photo credit: Penn State University Archives/Penn State