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Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza
The best-known gathering place on the USF Tampa campus is named for famed civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
From the 1970's to mid-1990's, the plaza was marked by criss-crossing sidewalks, virtually no trees and plenty of sun-baked barreness between the Marshall Center and the Administration Building, interrupted only by a small bust of Dr. King just north of Administration.
However, on Nov. 13, 1996, following $1.8 million in renovations, Martin Luther King Plaza was rededicated and took center stage for the first time in the history of the campus. The new-look plaza provided the entire USF Tampa campus a permanent gathering place because of its centrality and picturesque beauty.
The scenic plaza features a memorial to King, including a larger bust of him located in the center of a long, shady, trellised and palm tree-lined colonnade leading from the Administration Building to the Marshall Center, a large reflecting pool and the famous "I Have a Dream" speech engraved on a wall at the far end of the pool.
The ceremony marking the dedication opened with a Parade of Nations made up of the various student cultural organizations. Marching with a flag and dressing in cultural garb, each organization represented one of the many nationalities that form part of USF.
The ceremony also included an American Indian prayer dedicated to USF, a poem written and recited by Tampa African American poet James Tokley honoring King and the plaza, and a re-enactment of King's "I Have a Dream" speech.
The events also marked a climatic end to USF's 40th anniversary celebration in the fall of 1996.
Monies for the MLK Plaza improvements were paid for by students through the university's Capital Improvement Trust Fund. Students pay a fee on their tuition to the fund, which the Student Government decides how to spend.
"Students, you can take pride in knowing that this project happened because of your vision and your support," University architect Steven Gift said at the dedication.
"We've taken strong steps as an institution to invest in the dreams and in the legacy of Dr. King," added President Betty Castor.
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