Rhetorical Analysis Of I Have A Dream Speech

Martin Luther King Jr., an American Baptist minister and a Civil Rights activist, became the most visible spokesperson and leader in the Civil Rights Movement. He is widely known for his speech that took place on 28 August 1963, “I Have a Dream.” This speech aimed toward the entire nation. King’s main purpose in this speech was to convince his audience to demand racial justice and for them all to stand up together for their rights. In this speech, King uses emotional and logical appeal to gain the audience's support. He applied many rhetorical devices to his speech to connect with the audience’s emotions, and to logically support his arguments.

Near the end of Martin Luther King’s speech a gospel singer Mahalia Jackson shouted to Dr. King saying, “Tell them about the dream, Martin”. At this point Dr. King stopped reading the speech and expressed his inner feelings saying “I have a dream..”(Mlk, 4). He continued to tell the crowd of his dream for the Negros to be free and equal and that they would be able to live happily and do as they pleased. He had a dream that America would live out the meaning of the constitution stating “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal”. He tells the crowd that at the end “We are free at last”. Dr. King’s choice of words and the tone in which he delivers his speech is enticing and pleasing to the crowd of America.

King knew that many would criticize his actions, but it wasn't until his fellow clergymen deemed his activities to be "unwise and untimely" that King felt compelled to provide his point of view (1). In response to the comment about his protests being untimely, King passionately responded, "We have waited more than 340 years for our constitutional and God-given rights" (2). How long is long enough? For the oppressors, there will never be a suitable time for negotiation. People will always stand idly by while their negro brothers and sisters are mistreated because they merely desire to maintain the status quo. Change is frightening. In Dr. King's words, "Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue" (2). Discussions that would have never been considered in the past were at last coming to fruition due to King's tension generating protests. The African American population will be denied their constitutional rights no

We have all heard Martin Luther King’s famous speech, I have a Dream. His main goal was to convince everyone across the country to comprehend racial equality and to reinforce a solution for those individuals already engaged in the Civil Rights movement. You could say his speech was part of what made the movement successful. By him taking a stand, much attention was put into the problems that were going on. He was and still is viewed as an important leader who was an activist in the Civil Rights Movement. Here we will basically dissect parts of his speech and define the points he was making and trying to make. Throughout the paper, you will see how Dr. King uses Ethos, Pathos, and Logos to show his audience and make them feel what went on.

King’s speech was delivered during the March for Freedom in Washington August 28, 1963. With a determined tone, is motivation was to speak about racism of blacks in America. Slavery had long been abolished since 1865 with the 13th amendment. By law, African Americans were “free”, but the concept of freedom was like a myth. “The life of the Negro was still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination”. (King 9-10). There were no Civil or economical rights, blacks were still bounded by invisible chains of calamity. The purpose of King’s analysis is to bring hope to the people of color. Hope for a better tommorrow, hope that all their labor will not go in vain and hope that their children will live a better life. Moreover, He also argued to convince his audience that there should be an end to racism and equal rights for all races. He argued that freedom should be for all Americans, not just white Americans.

On August 28th, 1963, civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr stood on the steps in front of the Lincoln Memorial and delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech. He spoke passionately for 17 minutes on his views about human equality for African Americans at one of the largest civil rights demonstrations in history. King played a major role in ending the segregation for African Americans. His rhetorical language left an impact on America. Through his use of appeals like ethos, logos, pathos, and other rhetorical techniques. He influenced Americans to believe in the notion that all men are created equal.

On August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr., a civil rights activist, delivered his renowned speech, "I Have a Dream" on the Lincoln Memorial located in Washington to millions of Americans. King relied on the use of metaphors, imagery, and anaphora to establish pathos; as well as to convey his wish to live in a country where everyone has equal civil and economic rights no matter their skin color.

He was able to find a proper and fitting response to the injustices of African-Americans. He spoke on a subject many didn't care to hear about, the deep injustice of segregation. The Kennedy administration had stalled on the issue and even avoided supporting the civil rights demonstration which King spoke of ( 2000). To King, this offered an opportunity to end the delay that the Civil War's promises had made. He knew he wasn't just talking to protestors, but also the Kennedy administration, to white Americans apathetic and unaware of the injustice, and also to segregationists and racists (Rappaport, 2002). In this speech, King planted his place as first among equals in civil rights leadership. "From this first televised mass meeting, an American audience saw and heard the unedited oratory of America's finest preacher, and for the first time, a mass white audience heard the undeniable justice for black demands" (Seattle Times, 4 April 1993). King said "There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship."

Martin Luther King Jr. gave his now famous “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963 for the March on Washington. Born to a Baptist minister in Atlanta, Georgia, King became a Civil rights activist who promoted peace rather than violence. His background before being known as the civil rights activist was being the first president of the southern Christian leadership conference, then became the leading spokesman for the civil rights movement. King preaches to fight for freedom with dignity and discipline. He later speaks about how slaves were freed but the black race in itself is still not free. All of his boycotts and protests were all done without any type of violence, king insists that “there is something I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds.” (302) The black races face segregation and discrimination in their everyday life. His fight isn’t only for the freedom of all but Justice for “all of God’s children” (302) It is made clear that King has the dream that one day all races will be equal. He wants his children to grow up in a world where they aren’t judged by what their skin color is, King declares, “I have a dream that my four 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.” (303) Hope is a continuous message that is brought out through the entire

On August 28th, 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered a speech to more than 200,000 people during the March on Washington. King's speech was one of the most influential during the era of the Civil Rights Movement and is to this day recognized as a masterpiece due to its effect on the audience as well as for its eloquence and language. Many components went into this passionate speech that portrayed King's hopes for racial equality and a brighter future made the speech as moving as it was. It is doubtful that any person can guess that this speech was written without forethought regarding what goals King wished to accomplish in this speech. Martin Luther King Jr.'s eloquent language was perfectly suited to his audience, both his

He refers to the principles voiced by the nation's founders in his appeal for racial equality. This strategy was especially important in light of the fact that the government was concerned that the Civil Rights movement might discredit the United States abroad. The government was worried that if they gave African-Americans freedom, the United States would be seen as weak and have been persecuting innocent people. Hence, it was perceptive of King to imply in the speech that he is not undermining the United States, but asking the country to do justice to the principles that were asserted to be the backbone of U.S. politics and society. King states, for example, that his dream was "deeply rooted in the American dream," (King 2) and that he dreams of a day when Americans "will be able to sing with new meaning `My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing'" (King 3). King then uses the words of that song to distinguish the different areas of the country where he hoped the United States would soon "let freedom ring" (King 3) for all its citizens. King alludes to the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution as being a "promissory note" (King 1) to all citizens, which those at the march were claiming as their inheritance. The speech gains power from King's stressing that he was asking the United States to live up to its principles and thus to fulfill the greatness of its pronounced creed.

     The march on Washington D.C. was a turning point in the passionate battle for civil rights. Years of segregations and mistreatment of the African-Americans had pushed them to the edge. King knew that he had to say something to calm his people and make sure that their demonstration did not turn into a violent one. He said a hundred years ago, or as King affectionately referred to it, five score ago, Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address in a war to free the African-Americans from the tyranny of slavery. But despite the bloodshed they were still not free. King too touches on the fact that the fore fathers some one hundred and eighty seven years ago said that all men are created equal and entitled to liberty. King went on to say his people would not just go away and were not just blowing off steam. That these changes

King makes good use of ethos, pathos, and logos in his speech. His confidence is the use of ethos which shows his knowledge and trustworthiness. He also used a reliable source, President Abraham Lincoln. In his speech, he states, “Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation.”(Jr). His use of President Lincoln shows that he respects and admires what he has done for America. He also uses a reminder the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence in his speech. “This note was promised 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.’” (Jr). This shows that the government has failed to keep their promises to their citizens. His voice and sources make the audience rely on

Allerations that were stated by King in the speech were " Symbolic shadow we stand today" this was in reference to standing on the steps of the Lincoln memorial to the president who defeated southern states over slavery. " Being behind a great leader" meaning the father of Emancipation Proclamation Lincoln. Another alleration is " We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of the self-hood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating"(M.L.K.).The repetitition in the speech is with rhythm and was actually not even in the original speech the whole part of the speech when King states " I Have A Dream' was add libbed the day of the speech. King uses repetition to touch on main points that King wants to express the most and generate strong emotion to and among leaders. When king keeps repeating " I Have A Dream, Let Freedom Ring".it is merely a technique to aid in memorability. Allegory in the speech is " Negro being free", and Persuading you to see and want the same. The Forecasting King used in the speech was stating in the beginning of the speech

In the same year, black college students in Greensboro, North Carolina acted and participated in a peaceful protest by starting a “wave of sit-ins”. These black students sat in the reserved seats for whites that was segregated. This led to “economic pressure” that had a successful result of desegregating of lunch counters. In 1963, Dr. King used his moral vision to be successful of the greatest achievement for African Americans. Black equality and the end of segregation. King help with the organization of marches in Birmingham, AL, where fire hoses and police dogs were turned on marchers. This shook the nation when the events of violence were being televised. Since they were protesting without a permit, this led to Dr. King and many others to being arrested for demonstrating their right of freedom of speech. While Dr. King was in jail, he wrote a letter defending the civil rights demonstrations that were taking place. His letter was “standing up for what is in the best in the American Dream”. On June 11, 1963, President Kennedy addressed the nation, confronting the issues in southern states. Kennedy stated that “ whether all Americans are to be afforded equal rights and equal opportunities”. In August 1963 on the twenty-eighth day, the Civil Rights Movement took place in Washington, D.C.. 250,000 blacks, whites, old and young attended this march. On the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, Dr. King gave one of the greatest speeches of the millennium. He gave his famous I Have A Dream speech. “Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on the proposition that all men are created equal”. The Civil Rights Act, which was filled with peaceful protests, ended segregation in all public facilities. This great act showed that peaceful resistance can be possible when fighting for what you believe is right. Peaceful resistance was Dr. King’s way of making a difference in