Hesburgh reflects on MLK's achievements
By HIMANSHU KOTHARI
News Writer
As Notre Dame students commemorated the life and accomplishments of Martin Luther King, Jr. last week, Father Theodore Hesburgh, president of the University during the civil rights movement of the 1960s reflected on his experiences with King.
"We were both working very hard," said Hesburgh of his involvement with King in the 1960s. "I was trying to get the laws passed while at the same time we [Hesburgh and King] worked on opening schools so kids could get educated."
Hesburgh recalled how different society was 40 years ago, and in particular racial diversity at Notre Dame. "A black couldn't a drink from a white fountain, couldn't go swimming, [and] couldn't get a decent education," said the former president. "When I came here [to Notre Dame], there were no black students [or] teachers workers around."
Hesburgh's involvement with the civil rights movement began in the 1960's when he joined King in supporting civil rights laws and the movement to end segregation. Hesburgh was one of King's closest friends and associates, and he also served as chairman of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.
"One time we met in Chicago," said Hesburgh. "It was a march for housing for and I remember the mayor being very angry with us."
It was this constant support that Hesburgh gave to King that led to the latter asking the former to do an introduction for his book of sermons.
Hesburgh also recounted a moving story about the first anniversary of King's death. Martin Luther King, Sr., asked Hesburgh to give the sermon to the black congregation at the church in King's hometown. At the beginning of the service King's father told Hesburgh's that he was the first Catholic priest to enter the church and the first white man to give a sermon at the church.
Political science professor Alvin Tillery said Hesburgh's most important work may have occured after the assassination of King.
"His most important work came at the end of the period when he was appointed the chairman of the [U.S.] Commission on Civil Rights," said Tillery. "[He] held the fort in making sure that President Nixon continued to take efforts to redressing the harms that 350 years of slavery and second class citizenship had exacted against the black Americans."
Hesburgh feels that his work with the civil rights issue has brought results, but said that more work is needed.
"We are 180 degrees away from where we were," said Hesburgh. "The best way to commemorate [King's] legacy is to work hard to get more talented black students in our community."
All News Stories for Monday, January 27, 2003
