Antioch University honors the life and legacy of civil rights activist Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. – for being a leader of courage and conviction who devoted himself to the pursuit of peace, equality, and justice for all people.
In 1965, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. addressed graduates at the 113th commencement of Antioch College. His wife, Coretta Scott King, was a former Antioch student. In his speech, King expressed appreciation to Antioch for “all that this great institution of learning has given to the cultural, the social and political life of our nation and the world.”
Hear his speech (MP3)
Interesting fact: According to the Dayton Daily News, Dr. King had been targeted for an assassination attempt during his visit to Antioch. In an article published by the Daily News in February 1966, it was said that a 19-year-old named Daniel Wagner testified that he had been part of a plot to kill Dr. King. However, the assassination plot was canceled a few days before Antioch’s commencement because the organizer couldn’t ‘get organized for that because of her work at the same time for a rally of the Ku Klux Klan.’”
