Monty Siekerman recalls Dr. Martin Luther King’s speech at Ohio Northern University. A chapel service Thursday morning commemorated the civil rights Icon’s visit to campus 50 years ago. He was assassinated in Memphis three months later. Siekerman headed publicity for the University at the time.

Joel Weaver, a pharmacy graduate who retired as an anesthesiologist, is at right in the picture. He was a student at ONU at the time. Thursday’s service, organized by Chaplain MacDonald, included comments from two other professors who taught at Northern at the time and two other students.

About 300 people attended. It was reported that the university will unveil a sculpture of Dr. King on April 17 outside Taft Memorial where the speech was given.

Thursday’s service included the singing of a hymn by the Gospel Ensemble, which is directed by Adriane Thompson-Bradshaw, and several current students who read reminiscences by students who were there at the time.  President Dan DiBiasio gave a welcome. The program ended in prayer.