Manchester Magazine Fall 2017 | Page 11

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