Below are some highlights of the influential people who have passed through the halls of the Iowa Memorial Union throughout the years.

 

a speaker talking in the IMU

Mitch Albom

Author, Journalist, Radio Host

Visited: December 4, 2003 & October 12, 2006

Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou

Author, Poet, Playwright, Professional Stage & Screen Producer, Director, Performer, Singer

Visited: February 6, 1987 & September 30, 1994

Bono from U2

Bono

Lead Singer of U2, Co-Founder of EDUN, the ONE Campaign, and Product Red, Nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize, Time Person of the Year

Visited: December 2, 2002

Tom Brokaw

Tom Brokaw

NBC News Anchor

Visited: May 2, 2008

George HW Bush

George H.W. Bush

41st President of the United States

Visited: December 11, 1987

President Jimmy Carter

Jimmy Carter

39th President of the United States

Visited: April 18, 2007

Geraldine Ferraro

Geraldine Ferraro

Democratic Politician, Member of the United States House of Representatives

Visited: November 1, 1984

Jonathan RW Temple

Temple Grandin

Autism Activist, Animal Scientist

Visited: April 18, 2012

Joyner Kersee

Jackie Joyner-Kersee

Olympic Gold Medalist

Visited: August 25, 1994

John F Kennedy

John F. Kennedy

35th President of the United States

Visited: November 21, 1959

Coretta Scott King

Coretta Scott King

Advocate against Racism, Critic of the Death Penalty, Supporter of Human Rights

Visited: March 7, 2001

Dr. MLK, Jr

Martin Luther King Jr.

Civil Rights Leader & Activist

Visited: November 11, 1959

C. Everett Koop

C. Everett Koop

Physician, Vice Admiral in the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, US Surgeon General

Visited: April 2, 1992

Nick Kristof

Nick Kristof

Author, NY Times Columnist

Visited: September 13, 2013

Spike Lee

Spike Lee

Emmy-Award Winning and Academy Award-Nominated Director, Producer, Writer, and Actor

Visited: February 13, 1990

Frank McCourt

Frank McCourt

Pulitzer Prize-Winning Author

Visited: November 7, 2006

Seth Meyers

Seth Meyers

Comedian

Visited: August 22, 2012

Michael Moore

Michael Moore

Founder for the Center for Alternative Media, Host, Writer, Director, & Executive Producer of TV Nation

Visited: April 15, 1996 & April 4, 2001

Ralph Nader

Ralph Nader

Attorney, Author, Lecturer, Political Activist, Candidate for the President of the United States

Visited: April 18, 1991 & April 10, 1996

Barack Obama

Barack Obama

44th President of the United States

Visited: October 3, 2007

Robert Reich

Robert Reich

Professor, Former Secretary of Labor

Visited: September 7, 2011

Mo Rocca

Mo Rocca

Journalist, Satirist, Television Producer

Visited: April 21, 2004

Edward Said

Edward Said

Literary Theorist, Cultural Critic, Political Activist, Advocate of Palestinian Rights

Visited: March 15, 1987 & September 12, 1991

Alice Sebold

Alice Sebold

Author

Visited: March 4, 2009

Gloria Steinem

Gloria Steinem

Advocate of Feminist & Equal Rights Issues, Co-founder of "Ms." Magazine, Organizer of Take Our Daughters to Work Day

Visited: February 16, 2000

Neil deGrasse Tyson

Neil deGrasse Tyson

Astrophysicist

Visited: April 15, 2013

Kurt Vonnegut

Kurt Vonnegut

Author

Visited: September 4, 2001

Lech Walesa

Lech Walesa

Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Polish Politician, Trade Union & Human Rights Activist

Visited: April 1, 1998

Malcom X

Malcom X

Black Muslim Minister, Spokesman for the Nation of Islam

Visited: December 5, 1969

Howard Zinn

Howard Zinn

Historian, Political Theorist, Teacher, Playwright, Author

Visited: October 26, 2005