Martin Luther King's I Have A Dream Speech : The Need For Freedom

100 years after the delivery of the Emancipation Proclamation delivered by President Abraham Lincoln, a young man by the name of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. also known as the father of the modern civil rights movement, would stand on stage in Washington D.C. and deliver a speech to over 250,000 people known as the “I Have a Dream” speech. Arguably, one of the most memorable speeches of all time, Dr. King would raise the issues of social injustice, police brutality, and racial segregation. Hoping to one day see equality, unity, and equity prevail in the United States. As promised by our forefathers, all Americans would have unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Dr. King would resonate this message in hopes that all would hear and that things would change for the better.

In the instance, that freedom is not given, and then it should be demanded. This is demonstrated by Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I have a Dream” speech. On August 28, 1963, King delivered his speech to 250,000 angry people of color at the Lincoln Memorial. At this time people of color were discriminated against, which meant they were not receiving the freedom promised to them in the Declaration. The Declaration states, “All men have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” It was clear that this statement did not apply to people of color. To stress this statement King States “It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar her citizens of color of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad

On August 28th 1963, Civil Rights activist, Martin Luther King Jr. made his infamous “I Have a Dream” speech. In the speech, King confronts the mistreatment of the African American community and the lack of free will they contain in society. Throughout the mid-1900s, the Civil Rights Movement took place, influenced by centuries of cruelty towards the African Americans.. The most influential speech in the modern era was said in front of thousands of Civil Rights activists who all shared a common goal; to fight for the respect and to be treated as equals within the United States.

Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech was written and delivered on August 28, 1963, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and remains one of the most historically influential and world-changing speeches of all time. Fifty-two years later, this speech is considered to be one of the best persuasive speeches ever delivered. Dr. King is not only attempting to persuade his audience to understand the plight of minorities in the United States, but he is also attempting to encourage a nation to change for the betterment of mankind. Through the effective use of several literary elements, Dr. Martin Luther King’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech prompted Caucasian Americans to look closer at the country 's dismal record of civil rights for black Americans and other minorities.

I have a dream that one day everyone will understand what Martin Luther King Jr said in his infamous speech on August 28, 1963, and recognize the power and beauty in his words. In the “I Have a Dream” speech, Martin Luther King, Jr. persuades the citizens of the United States that they should no longer accept segregation, and all men should be created equal, as our Constitution states. In this fight though, we can not use violence, but use the power of words, and not stop until every human being is free. This speech was given in a time where black people were made to think that they were equal with white people, when in actuality, they were “separate but equal” which is not the same thing. This is when called segregation flourished and eventually, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had enough of this injustice and he spoke out to the citizens of the United States and the world to fight for freedom. This speech used all of the rhetorical devices: ethos, logos, and pathos, and it used such powerful, discrete language that not only persuaded the reader, but entertained them, drawing in his audience after every word. Its rhythm made it stay with people, haunting them. He truly made it clear of the awful ways the African American people were being treated, connecting to them, making them feel something, making the reader want to listen to him and follow King with every step he took.

Abraham Lincoln said, “Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.” Our founding fathers created this nation on the principle that everybody is entitled to justice, yet we continue to see inequality in the land of the free and Martin Luther King set out to fix that. “I Have a Dream” by MLK, is by far the more motivating and moving speech; with its figurative language, strong vocabulary, and unlimited determination, MLK makes the audience want to change the injustices that overwhelm the African Americans and earn them their equality. The primary ways Martin Luther King believes they can obtain their

Equality. Justice. Liberty. This was what all colored citizens hoped for such a long time. On August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. inspired everyone across the nation to achieve that freedom with his speech, “I Have A Dream”. While acknowledging the efforts made by former presidents and civil rights activists, MLK emphasized the point that segregation must end now. He highlighted how wonderful equality will be and how horrendous isolation was. Yearning for justice to become a reality, King wished to galvanize citizens to finally bring an end to discrimination throughout the nation.

Likewise, Dr. King stood in a place of great significance. Here, in front of the statue of President Lincoln, is where he will present his infamous “I Have a Dream” speech and it is evident of the great significance it represents. It was in 1863 that President Lincoln fought to abolish slavery and by coincidence, one hundred years later, Dr. King will be addressing more than 200,000 demonstrators fighting the same fight. On this day Dr. King will articulately responds to Governor Wallace’s speech that had taken place seven months prior. As the prominent Dr. King put it, “Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God’s children” (archives.gov). In other words, Dr. King is stating, that equality and fair justice should not be based on, ethnicity, color, or status, but in essence we are all created equal and ought to live harmoniously.

On August 28, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech in front of a crowd of colored and white men and women. Dr. King gave his speech because he saw a problem throughout the world. He talked about in his speech the racial equity and an incorporated society that turned into an uproar for the blacks. His words turned out to be a touchstone for understanding the social and political change of the time and gave the country a view on what he saw the world would be like in the future. As King delivered his “I Had a Dream” speech on the same steps as Lincoln Memorial he analogizes Lincoln in his speech, “Declaration of Independence,” “Five score years prior, an awesome American, in whose typical shadow we stand today,

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.” These notable words are a part of one of the most iconic speeches in American history. Given by Martin Luther King Jr. on August 28th, 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., the “I Have a Dream” speech was a part of what he described as “the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.” This speech, among many others given by others, would make King one of the nation’s most admired individuals. However, this positive notability would not exist until after his death. During his lifetime, the people’s opinion of him would fluctuate. This can be understood by examining his life, politics, and, most notably, his advocacy efforts for the advancement and equality of people of color.

On 28th August 1963, during the rally in the nation’s capital, Dr. King delivered his most famous speech, known as the “I Have a Dream” speech, on the steps of the Abraham Lincoln Memorial. Portions of the speech, that are frequently quoted, including, “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 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.”

“I have a dream” by Martin Luther King Jr. is one of the most powerful and influential speech in history. He gave the speech on August 28,1963 at the Lincoln Memorial, where over 200,000 people had gathered. Martin Luther King Jr. was the leader of the civil right in the United State. In the speech, he spoke about the injustice of segregation and discrimination of African Americans that was taking place in the US nation at the time. The speech is an important step in the civil rights movement, because without it, his views on freedom and equality would never reach the hearts of the America people. He masterly use ethos, pathos, and logos in his rhetoric to the right proof to all Americans that racism and segregation is not the intended foundation of America.

Dr. King hopes that the determination found in African Americans is taken seriously. Wanting equal rights is not just some phase. Instead it is a goal. This goal will not be reached until equal rights are granted. Each person of every race must make a conscious effort now to cross the boundaries that have been set up between the races. We must adopt and hold true, new positive ways of thinking. Our actions must reflect a desire to be one strong nation in which each individual shares the same freedoms and no one feels excluded from society. Parents must make sure that they instill honorable values into their children. These values must mirror the idea that every individual is not to be judged by his or her race.

If Martin Luther King Jr. didn't speak out against the oppression of African Americans, society may have never moved on from their way of thinking and racism would be a lot stronger and acceptable than it is today. His iconic “I Have a Dream” speech concluded the March on Washington, a peaceful, political rally designed to show the racial injustices Africans Americans continue to face even after the ending of slavery. In the words of Martin Luther King Jr., “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.'” This quote powerfully demonstrates his ideas and beliefs and shows how peaceful resistance has a positive impact on a free society. The actions and words of Martin Luther King Jr. inspired a free nation to become actually free for everyone.

In anticipation of the fifty-five-year anniversary of Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, Dr. Clifford decided to give a lecture on Catholic teaching and racial equality on November 6, 2017 in the Sun Room of the Memorial Union at 7 pm. At the beginning of the lecture, Dr. Clifford told the audience including myself to fasten our seat belts because we were taking a trip back in time when Martin Luther King Jr. led the civil rights movement through sits in in restaurants, kneels in near the front of local churches, and peaceful marches to government buildings to demand for voters’ registration. His dream for an egalitarian America remains elusive because his words and efforts are very consistent with the founding principles of America