The Intersection of Race, Religion, Civil Rights, and Higher Education

Published By CUEvangelist – June 4, 2024

60 years ago, on June 3, 1964, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was invited to Arizona just weeks before the passage of the Civil Right Acts of 1964. At the request of local NAACP members, former Arizona State University (ASU) President, the late G. Homer Durham invited Dr. King to speak at ASU. This was a pivotal moment in time for the state of Arizona as it was the only time the civil rights activist spoke in the southwestern state.

Sixty years later, ASU commemorated the 60th Anniversary of Dr. King’s speech with two same day events. The first event was the unveiling of a commemorative wall display in Durham Hall, capturing the civil rights movement in Arizona that included Dr. King’s ASU visit and the activism that led to the ratification of the King holiday in the state. Desert Financial Credit Union was the sponsor of the display and generously financed the design with a $25,000 donation. When CEO Jeff Meshey first heard about the exhibit display, he was excited about the project and pledged his support.

The second event later that evening was hosted at the ASU Student Pavilion and sponsored by SodexoMagic where Tempe Mayor Corey Woods spoke to the near standing room only audience and was followed by the basketball Hall of Famer and former guard of the Los Angeles Lakers Earvin “Magic Johnson.” Magic Johnson told those in attendance, that “Dr. King paved the way for him to be the businessman he is today.” According to Forbes, Johnson’s net worth is an amazing $1.2 billion. He is involved in various enterprises and has built his wealth through joint ventures such as movie theaters, an insurance company, stakes in sports teams, SodexoMagic and Starbuck’s franchises to name a few. Mr. Johnson committed to returning to ASU as he commented about the diversity he viewed in the audience comprising of faculty, staff, and students of all races and that it embodied the vision of Dr. King.