Shelter Within a Storm – Poughkeepsie’s Memorial to Martin Luther King; April 7, 1968

By Bill Kleppel

Stitzel Field is in Eastman Park on Lincoln Avenue. I drive past it every morning on my way to work. It’s played host to baseball, soccer, and football games on thousands of forgotten days throughout the decades. Yet for a few hours in 1968, it was a ground for profound mourning, as well as desperate hope for a peaceful future. In fact, after the gathering, a procession followed that led the masses through the streets of the city and down to Riverfront Park in a gesture of unity and peace.

On April 7, 1968, in the words of staff writer Richard Wager of the Poughkeepsie Journal, “…the good people of the community – black and white – joined in sorrow – joined in hope – sitting together, looking for the day when all men will be brothers.”

Over those turbulent days after Dr. Martin Luther King’s assassination, other towns and cities were tearing themselves apart in a fury of anger, frustration, rage, and hatred: “… while they sat or stood in a field in Poughkeepsie, other cities were covered by clouds of smoke from burning buildings and armed troops stood on the street corners.”

Many speakers took part in this impromptu event, which did not happen throughout the country. Rev. Vernon Matthews, Rabbi Erwin Zimet, Mayor Richard Mitchell, musician Pete Seeger, civil rights leader James Meredith (who himself was shot during a protest march from Memphis to Jackson, Mississippi, in 1966), and others, spoke and sang at the podium.

This was an organic reaction of community strength, even if its participants hadn’t realized it at the time.

The year 1968 was a turning point in the history of this country, and throughout the world. The January Tet Offensive showed many how difficult it would be to win the war in Vietnam. This was driven home by the commentary of the most trusted face in televised news, Walter Cronkite, who believed there would be no victory for US forces and the military of South Vietnam. In late March, a beleaguered Lyndon Johnson announced to the nation that he would not accept another term as president. Within a week, on April 4, Dr. King was shot and killed on a balcony at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, by James Earl Ray.

Much more tragedy and chaos would manifest itself during that year: Robert F. Kennedy’s assassination, insurrections on college campuses, revolts in major international cities, the riots at the Chicago Democratic Convention, over 16,000 dead US soldiers in Vietnam; making it the deadliest year of the war, etc.

Martin Luther King Day, a federal holiday, is a day to celebrate the great man’s life and to take part in community service. Everyone should take the time to honor him, and contribute their time to society if they can.

From a historical perspective, I felt the need to shine light on one of the darkest days from our past to show that love, decency, and the power of togetherness can be found, even within them.

It was a moment when citizens collectively unified for the greater good… to be heard and to be seen. Poughkeepsie should fondly remember this day, and be proud of it.

Moments like this happened at the scariest inflection points during our nation’s history. It can happen again now.

For more about the Martin Luther King Holiday (Monday; January 19^th), as well as Dr. King’s life and legacy, please visit The King Center website.

Dedication: This post is dedicated to former Poughkeepsie Journal reporter Richard K. Wager, whose article was one of my inspirations for writing it. He passed away last month at the age of 86.

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