Positioned at the center of the University of South Florida, the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza is both the literal and symbolic heart of the Tampa campus.
Located between the Phyllis P. Marshall Student Center and the John & Grace Allen Building, MLK Plaza is visited and passed through by thousands of students, staff, faculty and visitors every day. The monument gives people a place to sit and reflect on the lasting legacy of the civil rights leader.
Built in 1995 as part of the university’s campus master plan, the plaza was constructed using $1.8 million in student fee funds. It’s comprised of a bust of Dr. King overlooking a reflecting pool with five granite bands shooting from its base, pointing toward cities where important events happened in Dr. King’s life. On the far end of the pool, a granite structure is inscribed with a large portion of his famous I Have a Dream speech.
The plaza is a daily reminder to Bulls of the immeasurable impact Dr. King had on the civil rights movement and America.
In celebration of this year’s MLK Day on Monday, Jan. 15, USF’s Office of Multicultural Affairs has organized a week’s worth of events, culminating with the MLK Commemorative Luncheon on Friday, Jan. 19. To see a full list of the USF and related community events, including Tampa’s 29th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Parade, click here.
Video by Freddie Coleman, USF Health Communications.