As Shaw Media recognizes its 175th anniversary, we looked back at four front pages from April 5, 1968. These archives serve as a time capsule, capturing the immediate, somber reaction of northern Illinois communities to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. the evening prior.
1968: Woodstock Daily Sentinel
The Woodstock Daily Sentinel balanced national tragedy with a shocking local crime. While the bottom of the page tracked the “Hunt for King’s Assassin” and the advocacy of Stokely Carmichael, the lead headline focused on a local shooting: “Woodstock Man Is Shot; Assailant Being Sought.” The page captures a community caught between a global civil rights crisis and a violent confrontation at a local tavern and apartment.
1968: The DeKalb Daily Chronicle
The Daily Chronicle dedicated its entire front page to the fallout of the assassination. A headline, “Nation Urged To Deny Violence,” mirrored President Lyndon B. Johnson’s plea for calm. The edition is a deep dive into the local emotional response, featuring a “Chronicle Profile” of Dr. King and reports on a local memorial service at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, showing how DeKalb residents processed the shock through faith and community gathering.
1968: Streator Daily Times-Press
The Streator Daily Times-Press emphasized the chaotic aftermath of the shooting with the stark headline, “Dr. King’s Murder Triggers Violence.” The reporting focused heavily on the “Arson, Shooting Break Out In Several Cities,” detailing the unrest in Washington and Memphis. It also provided a glimpse into the political ripple effects, noting how the tragedy caused Robert F. Kennedy to cancel his campaign trips and disrupted the 1968 political landscape.
1968: Dixon Evening Telegraph
The Dixon Evening Telegraph took a more commemorative tone with its primary headline, “Dr. King – A Man Dedicated to Service to His Race.” The paper served as a historical record, providing a comprehensive biography of King’s life and work alongside the breaking news of the “Leader Felled By Single Shot.” The edition also highlighted the civic response, announcing a “Proclaim Sunday Day of Mourning” and local memorial services scheduled at the First Baptist Church.
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