I have a Dream Speech

Over 40 years ago, in August, 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his, “I Have a Dream Speech”, during the height of racial and social injustice for the African-American community. This persuasive speech has been considered one of the most famous speeches of all time. Dr. King’s speech was not directed to black America or white America but to all Americans. I believe that he spoke to America of yesterday and to America of today.

The key message in the speech was that all men are created equal. His research for his speech used passages from the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Gettysburg Address, the Emancipation Proclamation, and the Bible. He references the first four documents to confirm what our forefathers had promised, which was life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all men. Not just for white men, but black men as well. And of course, the Bible teaches us that God is no respecter of persons, and that we all were created in His image. The speech also points out that we must have racial harmony and integration for a better tomorrow for all people.

To be an effective speaker, you must inspire, inform or educate your audience. Dr. King had a passion and soaring rhetoric which stirred the souls of all people. The speech was effective firstly, because of Dr. King’s credibility. He was well respected, educated and a victim of segregation and racial injustice himself, therefore, he could fully relate to his audience. His speech was effective, secondly, because of timing. Black America was growing tired of discrimination and was ready to make good of the promises of democracy.

His speech was given at the height of the Civil Rights Movement. As a result of this speech, along with his marches, Civil Rights legislation was forced to give blacks equal rights. He was marked as the most dangerous Negro of the future by the FBI; so apparently, he got the attention of America. Because of Dr. King’s points in this powerful speech and the way he delivered it changed the hearts of many people in America. Today, over 40 years later, people still remembers and quote the words today.