Rhetorical Analysis of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s I Have A Dream Speech

In Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech (1963) "I Have a Dream," brings an up-roaring excitement to his audience, African-Americans, which fills their hearts. He employ's cases of diction and parallelism, telling everyone that he wants African-Americans to be truly free. This turned the tides for African-Americans in the United States, filling them with enthusiasm and the yearning for change.

The meaning of Martin Luther King Jr. “I Have a Dream” speech,was to express how racial equality is essential for people to peacefully coexist, and racism negatively affects the lives of Africans Americans. The March on Washington was a threatened march and it did not stop King speech. He was talking about how whites and blacks need to have equal rights. We should not be separate. Plus, Africans Americans have the rights to do whatever we want and go wherever we want to go. He made sure that the audience understand the importance of everybody becoming equal. Martin Luther King Jr. quoted that “I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality”. Dr. King said that we demand to have freedom and not let freedom be given to

“We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor, it must be demanded by the oppressed.” - Martin Luther King, Jr. The activist Dr. King was best known for being the leader of the Civil Rights Movement that took place during the 1960s. He also was a baptist reverend that lived 39 years, since 1929 through his assassination in 1968 by the hands of James E. Ray. During his career as an activist, he gave several speeches whose main focus was freedom and liberty. One of his most famous one is “I have a dream” that took place in Washington, D.C. August 28th, 1963. There, he spoke about how people, especially the black community, needed to fight for their rights, to make changes in society in order to stop segregation, and unify people despite their race, beliefs, ethnicity, and culture.

Many people around the earth feel that they are superior compared to others. They believe that they are the greater race, religion or other type of group. This is obviously very wrong. Everybody is capable of doing great things if they are treated well and equally, because if they are they will be motivated and have tools for success. Dr. King is quick to point out that when people are treated poorly and differently they feel alone and exiled.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wanted nothing more than equality and justice for the African American people, and he went above and beyond to make sure that occured. He wrote his famous “I Have a Dream” speech to deliver in front of the Lincoln Memorial at the March on Washington. His speech demanded not only equal treatment of colored people, but the equality that should exist among every color and religion (National Constitutional Center). Drawing approximately 250,000 people, he effectively changed the lives of all American citizens from then to now (National Constitutional Center).

Ph.D. and black rights activist, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., in his speech, I Have a Dream, expounded his views on social justice for African-Americans. The famous speech was held in 1963 during The March on Washington. King’s purpose was to display his belief that African-Americans deserved yet lacked equality, unlike other Americans. He confidently executed his message with a passionate tone to influence his audience of fellow activists, common citizens, and dignitaries to fight for racial equality and to end segregation. King commenced his speech by reminding the audience of the historical event that occurred 100 years ago to establish the purpose of his demonstration.

He dreams of hope and equality for the future. In Alabama, the racism is so deep that King calls out the governor, right then and there and says “I have a dream that one day down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification, one day right here in Alabama, little black boys and little black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and little white girls as sisters and brothers” (King 87-88). King’s words speak so strong about equality and fairness for everyone. King just wants the world where his children, and their friends, and his children’s

Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech took place on August 28, 1963 in front of the Lincoln Memorial which was used to inspire his audience to protest for what they believe in and what they would like to achieve, being true equality among every race and ethnicity. Therefore the speech was able to ripple emotion and passion among his audience, evident in this peaceful demonstration by the active support, admiration, and the applause he garnered. This was also a cause as to why he obtained such an enormous attendance to this demonstration which by far surpassed the intended amount. However, his vast audience was consequently due to the fact that millions of Americans across the nation respected and coincided with him in the tremendous

Martin Luther King Junior delivered a speech on August 28, 1963 about one dream that millions would know about and make happen.Washington D.C., Virginia, in front of the Washington Monument, a couragous black man walked up to the podium to deliver a world famous speech called “I Have A Dream” and would change America forever. Martin Luther King Jr. was that couragous black man, and he was giving the speech to tell the world that although the Negro is considered free, they are under deep discrimination, and every person shall be equal. He supports that opinion by giving motivational appeals such as his 4 children that need to live in a world of equality, or Imagery, such as Abe Lincoln being the first to try and make equality by signing the

Martin Luther King, Jr, the author of the famous speech “I Have a Dream” brings the reader a powerful argument which make it clear that his beliefs were built upon the firm foundation of God: “Now is the time to open the door to all of God’s children” . Although God was the foundation of his moral reasoning, he also made it clear that morality, faith and the issue of segregation at hand were closely related. The component of the essay that I would like to discuss and analyze is "The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny and their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone” .

On Wednesday, August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. gave his speech named, “I Have a Dream” at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in Washington DC. With knowledge that there would be three live news crews at the speech Dr. King prepared his speech ahead of time but went off script, as he originally planned to refrain from saying anything about a dream. In doing so he impacted the hearts and minds of millions of Americans helping to encourage the Civil Rights Movement. He had used idea of “I Have a Dream” in past speeches for about a year but this was his first address on live television being broadcasted to anyone willing to watch. One of the most impactful characteristics of his speech was that it was not just to Black people or

Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech was one of the most influential speech in the American history. He was able to grab the attention from huge crowed talking about what it was to be black in America in 1963 and the shameful situation of race relations a century after the Emancipation Proclamation. The speech was able to balance academic, political, and biblical elements. He used the accessible language that used repetition to emphasize the important themes. His speech was very powerful to escalating, and deescalating the racial conflict in America.

He is able to not only successfully strike the emotional values of African American citizens, but also of white citizens attending the speech as well. One way King evokes emotion within his audience is through his constant reference, and allusion, to the bible. The bible is used to arouse an emotional response, “And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all the flesh shall see it together…” Use of the bible links King’s speech to a source considered righteous by the people, which forms a connection to important events of the past, and helps the audience understand the situation. King is utilizing the bible in order to provide a belief and faith in what is truth, and that all people will stand together.

A speech given in 1963 by Martin Luther King Jr. called I Have a Dream. The famous speech was given in Washington, D.C., on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, during the 100 year anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. The Speech was about the rights of Americans and how the treatment of black Americans needed to be corrected, deserve to be treated as equals. The speech talks about injustices and conditions forced onto the Negro. How the Negro must conduct their struggles from a place of moral and discipline.

Everyone knows or have heard of Martin Luther King’s speech I Have a Dream. In King’s speech, he stated that America is unware of the problem of black injustice. The blacks have not been free for a long time, and that they refuse to believe that. He quoted the Declaration of Independence that all men are created equal, which includes black men. Along with the Declaration of Independence, the Gettysburg Address and the Bible were some of his inspiration behind his captivated speech that moved both blacks and whites. He vouched that there is debt in America’s bank, not the check, but the justice bank. The country is full of segregation and inequality, but no one realizes that. He addressed that this is the time to make justice available for all god’s children. King successfully expressed his opinions which emotionally affected his mixed audiences of blacks and whites. This speech was successful due King’s sensitive approach to his mixed audiences, ingenious use of style, and inspirational tone. He delivered his message with images that touched his audiences and at the same time gave them a glimpse of the future where blacks and whites live in harmony. “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