Premium Essay

I Have a Dream

In:

Submitted By gocats33
Words 723
Pages 3
“I Have a Dream”
By: Gary Wright
On August 28 1963, 100 years after Abraham Lincoln’s famous Gettysburg address, standing on the stairs of the emancipation president’s memorial, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave the most important speech for civil rights in our nation’s history. Dr. King chose our nation’s capital as a fitting backdrop for his speech. Dr. King explains his choice of settings during the speech when he says,"In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men - yes, black men as well as white men - would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked 'insufficient funds.'"
Dr. King’s speech came at a time when the civil rights controversy was coming to boiling point. However King’s nonviolent doctrine remained as strong as ever. Dr. King, who received his Ph.D. in systematic theology from Boston University, was strongly influenced by the teachings of Indian leader Mohandas Gandhi. King’s non-violent rhetoric, however, did not appease many blacks such as Malcolm X and “Black Power” organizations. Dr. King struggled throughout his whole life to spread the word of nonviolent protest. He received many threats, some of which were from those who he was so desperately trying to help. King’s philosophy could be summed up in one of his many great quotes. In this quote from his Stride toward Freedom Speech in 1958, He implores,

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

I Have a Dream

...------------------------------------------------- I Have a Dream From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia This article is about the Martin Luther King Jr. speech. For other uses, see I Have a Dream (disambiguation). Martin Luther King, Jr. delivering "I Have a Dream" at the 1963 Washington D.C. Civil Rights March. | "I Have a Dream"30-second sample from "I Have a Dream" speech by Martin Luther King, Jr. | Problems listening to this file? See media help. | "I Have a Dream" is a public speech by American activist Martin Luther King, Jr.. It was delivered by King on August 28, 1963, in which he called for an end to racism in the United States. Delivered to over 250,000 civil rights supporters from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, the speech was a defining moment of the American Civil Rights Movement.[1] Beginning with a reference to the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed millions of slaves in 1863,[2] King examines that: "one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free".[3] At the end of the speech, King departed from his prepared text for a partly improvised peroration on the theme of "I have a dream", possibly prompted by Mahalia Jackson's cry: "Tell them about the dream, Martin!"[4] In this part of the speech, which most excited the listeners and has now become the most famous, King described his dreams of freedom and equality arising from a land of slavery and hatred.[5] The speech was ranked the top American speech...

Words: 2912 - Pages: 12

Premium Essay

I Have a Dream

...narrative 4.     Ability to influence and persuade 5.     Visual appeal 6.     The experience for the audience and the speaker  Analyze the findings to identify key factors contributing to effective and ineffective public speaking and recommendations for improvement supported by concepts from the course. In addition, discuss witnessed practices that you wish to incorporate and avoid along with a rationale. Your paper should be 3 - 4 pages in length, and incorporate course references as part of your analysis.  This assignment represents 6% of the course grade. The artifact itself, I consider to be one of the most influential pieces of literature ever produced. From his enthusiastic delivery, Dr. King switch from reading a manuscript into speaking extemporaneously half way through the speech. Dr. King used an extensive amount of metaphors. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered “I Have a Dream” in transformation speech; even with limited hands motion. Dr. King delivered his speech with enough clarity for his audiences. Defoe (2007) explains about the importance of clarity and how “having a substantive message is important. ” Dr. Kings speech articulated his wording and it is very understandable to others like me (Defoe, 2007). To give the audience vivid images of what he is speaking about, King uses metaphors that contrast the racial situation in America in the past and present to the situation in the future. For instance, he uses the metaphor. "signing the promissory note" to...

Words: 1219 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Critical Thinking Analysis of Martin Luther King's Speech, "I Have a Dream"

...CRITICAL THINKING ANALYSIS OF MARTIN LUTHER KING’S SPEECH, “I HAVE A DREAM” Martin Luther King uses a strong approach to deliver a speech full of encouragement and motivation for the deprived freedom of blacks living in American in the mid-1900s. With a recording break crowd in attendance in Washington in August 1986, Martin Luther King expresses the experienced suffering and demand for change in the lives of blacks. His purpose is clear and without hesitation. As I listener, I felt his passion that was supported by his appropriate boundaries to live equally. With the limitations and challenges King faced during that time, I can understand why his speech is a significant milestone in our country’s history. King makes the listener understand that his purpose is to fairly achieve the long overdue equality blacks have been robbed of. He is clear in his mission and has no intentions of entertaining such an mission with wrong doings or harm. I can only imagine, while during this time in American history the blacks had lived with so much oppression and discrimination, how challenging it would have been to approach such freedom with proper actions. Although King is trying to gain something in his speech, he is not driven by a selfish motive. He distinctly states his purpose and strategizes on the actions needed. At the end of his speech, I ask myself, “Do I agree with the necessity of blacks’ freedom?”. King presents his speech in a manner that is realistic, future...

Words: 583 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Effective Presentations

...emotional language and signals, and paring down irrelevant details), (3) practice the big emotional stretch, by transitioning among the emotional spectrum from happy to sad (becoming more comfortable with big feelings, facial expressions, gestures, and motions), (4) babble to increase nonverbal skills, by delivering the essence speech with nonsense phrases, gestures, and body language to convey meaning (learning to demonstrate charisma and becoming comfortable with our emotional attitudes), (5) put on a persona, by taking the role of another person to allow the speaker to become much more expressive (finding someone who engages you imaginatively and emotionally), and (6) learn from the best, by watching Martin Luther King Jr. give his “I Have a Dream speech” and following his dramatic starts and endings. Once the speaker has practice several of these techniques, it is important to practice the entire speech in his/her personal style while retaining the expressiveness attained through the exercise. Only then can the speaker become much more powerful, charismatic, and most importantly, authentic. It is important to prepare a story. In “Leading Words: How to Use Stories to Change Minds and Ignite...

Words: 292 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

I Have a Dream

...The True American Dream One hundred years later, the Negro still is not free-MLK. In the speech, “I have a dream” by Martin Luther King Jr, he speaks of African-Americans, not receiving the civil rights they were promised when The Emancipation Proclamation was signed One Hundred years prior. He spoke of black people not getting the freedom promised by the U.S. Constitution, as well as all races working together with no violence to achieve peace, also spoke of his dream of a future where everyone could get along. Martin Luther King Jr, speaks about blacks still not getting the freedom promised. Even after slavery, the acts of segregation and discrimination were worse than imagined and King felt it when he said, “ One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination.” After Slavery, these acts worsened due to the fact that many people believed that granting the slaves freedom, should not have happened. Also, One hundred years later the people could not get over a problem they had because of skin color, and their feeling of superiority. Black people at the time, were shunned, and could not live properly, due to segregation and discrimination, like when King said, “ the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land “. Black people as well as any other races, are part of society and should be able to live normal lives without the bonds...

Words: 927 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Research Paper Mlk

...A Rhetorical Analysis of MLK Jr.’s “I have a dream” Speech Martin Luther King Jr. gave a speech in front of the Lincoln Memorial during the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, one hundred years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, which outstandingly furthered the civil rights movement. At that time, racial segregation, police brutality, and other forms of racial inequality were terribly prominent in America. The speech successfully focused the country’s attention at the need for racial equality “Now” (King, I Have a Dream). King gave the speech in order to motivate his followers to peacefully continue to demonstrate, protest, and boycott until they were fully granted the equality and privileges that any other citizen was allowed to have. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I have a dream” speech is his most notable, and one of the most influential of Twentieth-Century-America because of his excellent rhetorical use of repetition and anaphora, contrasting metaphors, and appropriate quotations and allusions throughout the speech. Martin Luther King Jr. used a profuse amount of repetition and anaphora throughout his speech. A subtle form of repetition, the repetition of singular words, was mainly used to emphasize key themes in the speech and keep them in the minds of the audience. Such repeated key themes were “freedom”, “justice” and “injustice”, “America” and “American”, and plural nouns such as “we” and “our”. Since the preceding words were repeated so frequently...

Words: 847 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

I Have a Dream

...I HAVE A DREAM Good morning everyone. According to the government’s statistics, every year in Hong Kong estimate more than 5700 people died from cigarettes. It accounts for 90% of lung cancer deaths in men, and more than 30% of all cancer deaths. It kills nearly 16 persons in Hong Kong every day. 1 Since 2007, the Hong Kong government has planned to restrict the act of smoking – started with proposals to make restaurants, offices and karaoke smoke free. This legal action indicated the harmful effects of smoking. It also implied that the government was taking intervention to deal with the public smoking problem. I believe that the legislation is not a restriction of freedom, and the law enforcement is not a prevention of enjoyment, but a mean to move Hong Kong towards a healthier city. However, we have just achieved partial success. Although the number of smokers is declining, we still have a long way to go. We cannot walk alone. And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back. All people have their right to enjoy, but, when this right endangers the safety and health of the others, it should be prohibited. So, today, we need a change. Even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. I have a dream that, one day everyone can take a deep breath and feel the marvelous fresh air in a busy street. I have a dream that, one day all people can smile with their teeth in snow-white color. ...

Words: 559 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

I Have a Dream

...Trying to Achieve a Dream ENGL 1323- Section 030 By: Albert Rowe August 28, 1963 is a date that will live in mortality among American citizens, it was the day that one man moved an entire country, and this man single-handedly brought an entire race together using only his words. Dr. Martin Luther’s “I have a Dream Speech” is one of the most important and influential speeches ever given. This speech was given in Washington D.C. amongst high racial tensions in the U.S. between white southerners and black southerners. This speech perfectly personified the feelings and ideas of 90% of the black community. Dr. King spoke for the minorities that had no voice during this time period. Dr. King’s speech is well known for his hope for the future of his country and his people. Dr. King started with, “….even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.” Stating that in his interpretation of the American dream, he begins with “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal." I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.” Dr. King dreams of an America that will unite instead of separate, an America that will look around and not see skin...

Words: 1124 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Martin Luther King Jr

...Dash | Assignment Title | #2 Group AssignmentMartin Luther King Jr. - I Have A Dream | Due Date | Week 8 | Date Received | | DECLARATION | To be completed if this is an individual assignment: I declare that this assignment is my individual work. I have not worked collaboratively nor have I copied from any other student’s work or from any other source except where due acknowledgment is made explicitly in the text, nor has any part been written for me by another person. | Student ID | Student Name | Student Signature | Student 1 | | | | To be completed if this is a group assignment: We declare that this is a group assignment and that no part of this submission has been copied from any other student's work or from any other source except where due acknowledgment is made explicitly in the text, nor has any part been written for us by another person. | Student ID | Student Name | Student Signature | Student 1 | 4240138 | Danushka Nirmal De Silva | | Student 2 | 4235150 | Ngu Ing Sung | | Student 3 | 4237293 | Dashilla Ladaey | | Student 4 | 4237323 | Ahmad Akmal Afiq | | Student 5 | 100070566 | Lasse Svenning Jensen | | MARKER’S COMME Total Mark | | Marker’s Signature | | Date | | EXTENSION CERTIFICATE | This assignment has been given an extension by Unit Convenor | | Extended due date: | | Date Received | | Martin Luther King Jr. – I Have a Dream An analysis of a historically important leadership speech Words:...

Words: 2522 - Pages: 11

Premium Essay

Martin Luther King Jr Allusion Essay

...“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” Martin Luther King Jr. lived in a time period where this was something African Americans actually had to dream about. Where their children were only judged on the color of their skin. Would we still be living in a nation like this, where whites were superior to blacks, if it weren’t for Martin Luther King Jr. and his strive for civil rights? Martin Luther King had very strong believes and he was willing to lose his life for a better future. His protests were nonviolent, and that goes to show that violence is never the answer, that he made a change by never harming anyone...

Words: 799 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

I Have a Dream

...Turner Estes English 152 Thornhill 9/29/15 Justice for All The author of the “I Have a Dream” speech is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., King is well known for his efforts during the Civil Rights movement in the 1960’s. Throughout King’s speech, he uses numerous rhetorical devices to connect to his audience to influence change in the minds of black and white Americans about equal rights. The speech was intended for a very wide variety of people and was given in Washington to possibly influence politicians. Throughout King’s, “I Have a Dream”, speech he uses purposeful repetition, alliteration, and imagery to connect with the audience on an emotional level to realize America has fallen short of its promises. Throughout Dr. King’s speech he gave in Washington D.C. he used vivid imagery to give his audience of over two hundred-thousand people a visual concept of the message he gave. This is a very powerful rhetorical device because it connects the audience by putting a visual image in their heads. In this quote King uses the words dark and valley as he tries to express how the current state of racism across America, “Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice.” The word dark typically describes a place of little or no light and people typically do not like that. The word valley is a low place that is typically a hard spot to get out of and people don’t like being trapped either. So by King using a dark valley to...

Words: 1110 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

I Have a Dream

...Like millions of people around the world, I have a dream and I really want to achieve it one day. A dream is never easy to achieve, that is why we call it a dream. All of us try to achieve our dream, because we only live once and for some it can take years and years to achieves your dream. Some people are fortunate to achieve it, and some just see their children achieve it. I am the only person who can make my dreams come true. There are people who dream that they need something, and there are also people who have these things. There are also people who finds happiness in helping others to realize their dreams and be happy. My dream is to travel the world with my best friend Anneli. I want to travel to France, Italy, Brazil, England, Europe, and more places. I want us to have the best time of our life. We're going to shop at every place that we're going to. When we said best friends we meant forever. I always keep my dream in mind, and I think of it every day. I will try my best to achieve it and if I fail, I will just have to try harder. Most people usually think of doing business to earn more money, get rich, have a better life, a beautiful home and a nice car, but if you are happy in what you are doing you will make a success no matter what you...

Words: 256 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

I Have a Dream!

..."I have a dream!" goes the famous speech. Famous words about freedom, about enforcing principles, and about anti-discrimination. But it appears we have fallen behind. For I know a place where you are guilty until proven innocent; where freedom of speech is ignored; where the rights of the people are stomped upon by their higher-ups, and where freedom of expression is restricted. "Where"" I hear you cry. "Let us strike down this bastion of discrimination and oppression within our borders! There cannot be a place such as this inside a country such as ours!" But there is. And it is here, at grade schools. Places where you cannot write what you wish, without it being edited for content. You cannot say what you want, at risk of being given detention or worse. You cannot write a paper for fear you will be made to prove that it is your work. You can be detained on the arbitrary whim of a faculty member. And all of this is very troubling, not in the least because it directly contradicts the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, enforceable under the Constitution Act. The academic honesty policy is disgusting. In practice, it means that if a teacher suspects you of cheating on a paper, you have to prove you didn't. Of course, the fact that this completely contradicts section 11d of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (hereafter referred to as the CCRF) doesn't cross their minds. Because the only place the law is not the law is within these walls. The fact that you are...

Words: 618 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Raisin in the Sun

...the importance of family, the value of dreams, and about racial discrimination. The I have a dream speech by Martin Luther King Jr. is known as one of the best speeches ever given, the key message in the speech is that all people were created equal. His speech demanding racial justice and an integrated society became an expression for the black community. I have a dream speech and A Raisin in the Sun both talk about pride. “In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred” I think Dr. martin Luther king means that even though freedom is what and people might do whatever to be free, don’t lost pride in yourself and don’t stop pushing even with all the hate. A Raisin in the Sun “I’m going to look that son-of-a-bitch in the eyes and say all right Mr. Linder that’s your neighborhood out there! You got the right to keep it like you want! You just write the check and the house is yours, you people just put the money in my hand and won’t have to live next to a bunch of stinking niggers”. I think for a minute Walter lost his pride, the fact that he was about to give Mr. Linder exactly what he wanted, which was for the youngers not to move in the white neighborhood but when Mr. Linder came Walter got his pride back and though about the family and said their moving in, Unity and the struggle for the American dream make up another important aspect portrayed...

Words: 782 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Essay

...Literary Techniques of Martin Luther King's I Have a Dream Speech Literary Techniques of Martin Luther King's I Have a Dream Speech Introduction Martin Luther King, Jr., a prominent civil rights leader, delivered a powerful speech at the historic March on Washington. The speech uses several literary techniques to engage the listener. In the speech, King especially likes to use repetition and metaphor to convey his ideas. These devices are the foundation of King?s unique and effective style. Repetition In I Have a Dream King uses repetition throughout. Repetition is a good tool to use to reinforce an important idea. In Dorothy Seyler?s Read, Reason, Write, she states: ?Some repetition of key words and phrases will occur in well-written and unified essays. Some writers, though, go beyond this technique of unified writing and use repetition to produce an effective cadence, like a drum beating in the background, keeping time with the speaker?s fist pounding the lectern for emphasis.? (58). King?s speech is a perfect representation of this. I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal." I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons...

Words: 2738 - Pages: 11