Martin Luther King Jr.'s Speech

Racism has always been a major problem in America. However, it was known to be the most problematic in the late 1950s. On August 28 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King delivered his infamous speech “I Have a Dream” to America. His dream highlighted the injustices of segregation and discrimination of African Americans that took place in this nation every single day. Dr. King inspired thousands despite the color of their skin, to take a stance against racism, with his powerful way with words. In his speech MLK efficaciously uses, Ethos, Pathos, and Logos by using allusions, developing credibility, in his speech to persuade all Americans to be aware of the problems with racism.

Martin Luther King Jr., he was a brilliant and potent leader of the 1960’s Civil Rights Movement was inspires by the writings of Gandhi and Thoreau. King had a commitment to try to end racial segregation and discrimination. King did speeches, petitions and got the U.S. people and government involved. Kings philosophy was a nonviolence resistance. In the Letter from Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King states “There are two kinds of laws: unjust and just laws.” (221-222). “An unjust law is no law at all,” stated Saint

Dr. Martin Luther King’s historic “I Have a Dream” speech was delivered at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C on August 28, 1963. The speech is one in which has gained much recognition over the years and virtually won Dr. King the Nobel Peace Prize for his non-violent approach towards racism. Mahatma Gandhi was one of King’s prominent inspirations for his nonviolent movement. Gandhi, decades before Dr. King, practiced non-violence acts and civil disobedience. The will and strength that Gandhi possessed while advocating for peace and non-violence during the terrible events that had taken place in India moved Dr. King to find the path he had to take during his own strides to create a better America, primarily for African Americans. Although

During 1963, the country was experiencing political unrest due to the inequality of rights and segregation, therefore bringing two influential men of the South, Governor George C. Wallace and Dr. Martin Luther King, into the limelight. The Civil Rights Movement was attempting to have the law of segregation repealed in the southern states, for this reason Wallace presents his speech, “Segregation Today, Segregation Forever”. Dr. King recognized the need to respond to the governor’s declaration of denying the Negros of Alabama their unalienable rights, and he does so with his speech, “I have a dream….”. The two contending views presented attempted to move the people in the direction which the speakers believed was in the best interest of the country. The Kairos, Ethos, Logos and Pathos will be used to compare both speeches.

Thirteen-year old Jesse Murphy had just sat down to his much loved supper of barbecued ribs with red beans and coleslaw when the phone rang. The yellow phone hung on the kitchen partition and was just steps away from the dining room table.

Throughout his lifetime, Martin Luther King Jr. conducted a series of peaceful protests in order to create a change in the corrupt world he lived in. He sought equality for African American, “the economically disadvantaged and victims of injustice” (Biography.com). King’s empowering speeches became the primary foundation for persistence and change. His eloquently phrased words motivated activists worldwide to achieve the impossible peacefully and efficiently.

Martin Luther King believed in reaching African-American equality in the most peaceful way possible. “Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that” was once said by king in one of his many speeches. King’s inspiration for his non-violent activism was because of Mahatma Ghandi’s successful teachings. King traveled to India, which deepened his understanding in peaceful activism. Martin Luther King’s speeches were truly inspirational to his listeners. Spreading the word about peace being the only way to win equality was his way of teaching. Successfully, King’s wise words did free the slaves and change African-American history forever.

Martin Luther King Jr.. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested while participating in an anti-segregation march. While jailed, he responded to "A Call for Unity" by several white churches and their leaders. They criticized King Jr. for numerous reasons including interfering with the city of Birmingham as an "outsider," that it was inappropriate for him to stage public protest and that protestors should have tried negotiating and waiting until the country gradually moved towards civil rights because they were breaking laws in the process. He responded to them with several well-organized thoughts such as how injustice anywhere threatened justice everywhere, that the white justice system allowed no other way to be heard than to protest, and that oppressors were not just going to hand over rights especially when there were laws, just and unjust, that said otherwise. Through all of these hardships and cruel letters, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. persevered and continued on in his journey of peaceful protest until the day he died. This shows that even when attacked, peaceful protests can still work and that one did, giving rights to all Blacks. This may have never happened had people not protested the way that they

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. ” is said by a person who faced the darkness of the injustice, who knew its devastating effects for the world and who devoted his life to fight against it. “ Martin Luther King Jr. was the most influential and well-known of the leaders of the black civil rights movement … On August 28, 1963, the March on Washington attracted 200,000 participants. King made his most famous speech on that day… He convinced President Kennedy and later President Johnson to push for legislation to end discrimination…”

Martin Luther King Junior’s most remarkable movement, the minds of students across the nation have been being consumed with learning about America’s preeminent leader and his tireless fight against segregation in the United States of America’s. Cogent change occurs when children begin acting similar to the leaders in the world and when the leaders begin acting similar to children. By breaking through the barriers of diversity, Martin Luther King Junior took a small step for discriminated men and women everywhere, and an even more monumental step for all of humanity. In a sense, he woke up humanity and even took the liberty to preach the ideas of equality that is clearly stated in the Constitution and integrated the concepts of freedom, dignity, and equality into America’s reality. With that in mind, he extended his hand in an attempt to remind everyone to recognize the value of a stranger’s character. In the eyes of Dr. Martin Luther King Junior, one would be lost in a dark world if one would not allow the characters of another to shine through the clouds of judgment; he once wisely stated, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do

¨Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.¨ - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Through these hard times of hate and violence, Dr. King created to love and peace. Even though he was arrested almost 30 times, he was persistent and continued fighting for his belief that one day everyone would live together in peace and love. I stand by his teaching because this is how I believe the world should think.

Nearly fifty years after one of the most intense civil rights movement, the people of America are still protesting for justice, be it justice and equality for all races or all sexes, the fight is still going on, Martin Luther King Jr.—arguably the most influential leader of of civil rights protests—dream has still not been realized. Despite his campaigns for the equality of races, and his fight for “the right of workers to form a union” and the poor, many of the issues he faced back then are still significant today, though perhaps in a different form.

On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, I attended a Keynote Speaker. Dr. Eddie Moore Jr., founder/director of the White Privilege Conference and The Privilege Institute, shared his thoughts on MLK Jr.’s idea of the “American Dream,” and how society is living that out today. During his speech he asked us, “Why keep dreaming?” America is changing, we need to be “pissedomistic,” which means showing evidence of action. It is one thing to talk about it, but its an entirely different thing to be about it. Making this lifetime commitment to love, like MLK Jr. taught and showed, means you are committed to diversity. It is so simple to say you support it, but it much more difficult to call yourself to action.

Meanwhile, a few minutes passed by while Mr. Larkins presented the class with a PowerPoint. He gave us a break to work on the worksheets that came along with the presentation. The effortless, quick lesson was nothing but simple terms that related to Martin Luther King, Jr. I looked to my right and saw some of my guy friends gathered around each other laughing. I love to laugh myself so I went over to see what was so funny. The hysterical conversation referred to the favored movie, “Friday”, as they were re-acting the scenes. Cam looked over and, (informally), greeted me. I said hi and the rest of the “pack” said wassup. Afterward, out of nowhere, Denton says “Dang Jas you must’ve been staying in the sun all summer, you’ve gotten darker! That

Martin Luther King Jr. was an advocate for America for voicing out for all the Americans without a voice. Dr. King was a social activist who fought for civil rights and was a huge part of the American civil rights movement that had occurred in the mid-1950’s. Dr. King would be mentally tested on a torturous road, where every American believed that the African Americans should not have equal rights. He never did back down from a challenge even though it was a tough road that he decided to take. If he never voiced his speeches then where would America be today? Even though America has yet to understand that no matter the skin color if you were born here then that makes you a citizen. People have fought (speaking their mind) and lost their own lives to prove that there is a cultural war within the American people.