Doc of the Day: Martin Luther King Jr's "I Have a Dream" speech
On August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech in front of some 250,000 people at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Delegations of civil rights supporters from cities across the United States joined together for this massive one-day protest. They had been summoned by the veteran African American labor leader A. Philip Randolph to urge the federal government to broaden economic opportunities for low-income families and to pressure Congress to pass the Civil Rights Act, which was then being debated.
The orderly crowd assembled in front of the Lincoln Memorial and listened as representatives of labor, religious, and civil rights organizations delivered short addresses. The day’s final speaker was Martin Luther King Jr., the nation’s preeminent civil rights leader. King reminded his listeners of African Americans’ legitimate grievances and promised that they would not rest until full equality was won. As he neared the end of his speech, King departed from his prepared text to deliver his most memorable words: “I have a dream,” he thundered, in the powerful preaching cadence of the black Baptist tradition. Using a series of riveting images, King shared his vision of a country free of racial hatred, in which black and white Americans would live as equals. His oration eclipsed the remarks of all other speakers that day and is among the most quoted American public addresses. The “I Have a Dream” speech has come to epitomize the aspirations of the modern civil rights movement.
Comment by DeMia Lee on 29 September 2008:
In regards to political speakers Dr. Martin Luther King Junior and President John F. Kennedy, the fight for civil rights was one of high importance. However, the deliverance of the speeches did not have the same effect for all. It could be argues who gave a better speech. Accordingly, those arguments must be referenced and abstained from opinion. The content, although important, is not significant in subject to rhetorical devices. Dr. Martin Luther King Junior’s ability to engage the audience, receive a response, and translate his ideas eloquently presents him as better speaker. President John F. Kennedy fail short of delivering a speech in which could be intimately grasped. Although his love for America is present as an American flag is cast in the background, the deliverance of his speech alters that of the overall effect. Throughout his speech, Dr. Martin Luther King uses repetition. The use of repetition helps the audience to relate to themes made within his speech. On contrary, President John F. Kennedy seems to be unfocused as he looks at the paper often. The viewer has to wonder did he rehearse his speech. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speaks from his heart towards the end. In addition, his uncanny ability to give a speech is shown as he walks the stage and uses his hands to express his thoughts. President John F. Kennedy shows no emotion, which can be taken either positively or negatively. It is to the individual understanding to note which speaker delivered a better speech.
Comment by mdblogger on 29 September 2008:
DeMia, you raise an excellent point about the difference between reading a printed transcript of a speech and listening to the audio version. I would agree that Kennedy’s delivery is not quite in the same league as King’s, but then few are. Wouldn’t it be fascinating to have audio versions available of Lincoln’s speeches, or Washington’s (or Julius Caesar’s)? As it is, we have no way to compare them to more modern speakers, aside from contemporary accounts that talk about the atmosphere surrounding a particular speech and the audience’s response to it. Judging a speech’s effect and influence on history generally demands a reliance on the printed transcript as much as on the original oration. That said, there can be little doubt that King’s “I have a Dream” was one of those rare instances where both the oration and the printed transcript transcended the ordinary and defined him as one of history’s greatest speechmakers.