On August 28, 1963, during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. came up to the podium on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and delivered a powerful speech, commonly referred to as the "I Have a Dream" speech, in which he addressed the American nation in order to bring attention to the Civil Rights Movement and to remind the people that equality, freedom, and humanity are the most important concepts of society; he reflected on the past struggles and suffering of the African American population in the United States and stated how Black people still aren't free.

Dr. King argued that change is more than necessary if the main goal is civilizational and cultural growth and development. He "had a dream" that the American

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."

he argued that in order to secure a better future for everyone and give everyone the equal opportunity to pursue their happiness and find their meaning, the people must "join hands" and come together as one and to practice tolerance and acceptance instead of prejudice and hatred.

Dr. King's speech and his support from the people impacted the creation and the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which ended racial segregation and condemned discrimination based on race, religion, gender, and nationality. "I Have a Dream" is considered to be one of the most iconic speeches in American and even world history.

There is a more radical aspect to King's "I Have a Dream" speech. Though its primary message is one of true reconciliation, it directly addresses the persistent degradation of many black people, who continued to live in dire poverty. They were not protected by the law but, instead, victimized by it: 

But one hundred years later [after the Emancipation Proclamation], we must face the tragic fact that the Negro is still not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languishing in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land.

King's purpose was to highlight the ways in which America persistently failed to live up to its promises. In a way, it is a stinging critique of the nation's most important documents—including the Declaration of Independence. His speech concludes that, without change, the words that we hold sacred are empty rhetoric.

The speech is also a warning to those who "underestimate the determination of the Negro." To do so would be "fatal." The March on Washington was a call "to remind America of the fierce urgency of now." He also directly responds to those who requested slower progress toward integration by saying the following: "This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism." Finally, he addresses his more militant, and separatist, fellow activists (namely, Malcolm X) by insisting that "their [white people's] destiny is tied up with our [black people's] destiny" and that there can be no progress without working with all Americans. At the same time, he does not denigrate the "new militancy," but describes it as "marvelous."

King's speech is a remarkable piece of writing for its balance and its force.

Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his well-known "I Have a Dream" speech in 1963 during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. President Kennedy had proposed a Civil Rights Bill in Congress and the march was to support that effort. 

At this time in history, African Americans had few rights, particularly in the southern portion of the United States. They had the technical right to vote, but racists did everything possible to keep them from voting, including murder. They had the technical right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," but the Ku Klux Klan tried to keep people in a state of terror. Outside of these technical rights, African Americans were not allowed to attend the same schools, eat in the same area of restaurants, use the same restrooms, or even drink out of the same water fountains as white people. It was difficult for them to get jobs that weren't for menial labor. 

The yearning for freedom was strong in the hundredth anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. Lincoln had freed enslaved people on January 1, 1863, but these people were still not truly free. 

King's purpose in giving the speech, then, was to mark the hundredth anniversary of the Emancipation proclamation by showing the majesty of American rhetoric from the great texts that influenced the development of this country (the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, and even patriotic songs such as "My Country Tis of Thee") and comparing that to African American's everyday lives. He then tells of his dream that things will change, so he provides hope for the future.

What is the reason Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his famous "I Have a Dream" speech?

The 'I Have A Dream' speech was what I like to call 'an alignment of what was possible in the face of the immpossible. Although the 'March on Washington' was created by CORE and SNCC neither of them could have anticipated the 'glorious outcome'. The 1963 March on Washington reaffirmed for some, enlightened others, and promised again that the rights of all Americans was the underlying purpose of Dr. Martin Luther King's speech.  The reason Dr. King's 'I Have A Dream' speech is so moving is because he spoke what he BELIEVED was the truth regarding racial injustice in the U.S.  The 1963 speech took on the sound of a higher power.  Dr. King's words stopped people in their tracks....and forced them to recognize the plight of others.  The speech was given at the right time in the right place, which resulted in a heightened sense of awareness among many Americans.

What is the reason Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his famous "I Have a Dream" speech?

Martin Luther King's speech occurred during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, a march organized by Philip Randolph, vice-president of the AFL-CIO, James Farmer, president of the Congress of Racial Equality, and John Lewis , president of the Student of Nonviolent Coordinating Committee; this march involved some 200,000+ people. These people marched because of the Jim Crow Laws in the South, the inequitable pay for "a maid who makes $5.00 a week in the home of a man who makes "100,000.00 a year." It is this march that is credited with helping to pass the Civil Rights Act (1964) and the National Voting Rights Act (1965).

Interestingly, the original speech did not contain the "I Have a Dream" section to it.  Mahalia's Jackson's cry, "Tell them about the dream, Martin!" incited Dr. King to respond in his eloquent peroration, which was partially from a previous speech in Detroit and partially improvised.

What is the reason Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his famous "I Have a Dream" speech?

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a Baptist preacher who gave many sermons and speeches. His "I Have A Dream" speech is probably his most famous as it was delivered in front of the Lincoln Memorial, Aug. 23, 1963.  The Emancipation Proclamation was signed on Sept. 22, 1862. Almost 100 years to the day elapsed between the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation by Abraham Lincoln and the "I have a Dream" speech by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  Even though black slaves were given their freedom, they were not treated as truly free people in that they were not paid the same, nor were they allowed the same privileges as white persons. Dr. King gave this speech to motivate his followers to continue to boycott, protest, and demonstrate until they were granted full equality and privileges due any citizen of the United States of America.

Things were going well with the civil rights movement, and the people who were marching, demonstrating, and boycotting the inequity between the races were getting the attention of the government officials. This speech served to focus the attention on the need for racial equality NOW, not some time down the road or in a little while.

This speech served to motivate those who were feeling restless and impatient to wait and persevere a while longer using peaceful demonstration techniques rather than resort to violence. Dr. King was an encourager and a motivator.  He new how to speak to the authorities and work a room as well as give motivational speeches to his audience.  He was also not afraid to go into the streets and be involved in the demonstrations and protests himself. He did not ask his followers to do anything that he would not do himself.

We study his speech because he died at the hands of an assassin in the middle of his great work. The essential King speech is his "promised land" speech or the "mountaintop" speech. This was his last speech, and some say, a prophetic speech. Dr. King kept the focus tightly on the injustice of racial inequality throughout the speech while encouraging and motivating those who followed his civil rights movement to persevere and continue the fight even if he himself was not there to lead the way. This is a poignant speech, because Dr. King was assassinated the next day.

Most of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s speeches were designed to persuade or to motivate the listener to act or behave in a particular way.

What is the reason Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his famous "I Have a Dream" speech?

Dr. King gave many speeches in his time.  Of the most powerful would be the "I Have a Dream" speech during the 1963 March on Washington.  The focus of this speech, like many that Dr. King delivered, helped to emphasize the idea that racism in America is a moral problem.  It is as old as the Scriptures' articulation of justice and righteousness and one that is pervasive in its grip on America.  Dr. King employs religious and spiritual metaphors in identifying a social and political problem in America.  In casting the issue of racial injustice in such terms, Dr. King accomplishes his primary purpose to awaken the moral outrage of American society at the presence of racial discrimination and the denial of equal opportunity.

Why did Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech become so famous?

One of the reasons King's speech became so famous is because it delivered a message that America needed to hear. As King stood in front of the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963, he passionately urged the 250,000 people in front of him, as well as millions of Americans listening at home, to consider the undelivered American promises that Black Americans faced. Segregation in schools had been declared unconstitutional nearly a decade prior, but many regions still failed to make needed changes in their educational systems.

In 1957, the Arkansas National Guard was called in to prevent nine Black students from attending classes at Central High School, and the President himself had to send in federal troops to ensure that these students would be admitted to classes there. A month after this speech was delivered, a bomb in Birmingham would kill four young girls at a church. In his "I Have a Dream" speech, King employed a sense of urgency to demonstrate the great need of unifying the country toward a common goal. Particularly in the South, "great trials and tribulations" were an ongoing source of societal frustration and anger. In this speech, King sought to heal a deeply divided country by providing a path for progress.

King's message is also a message that has transcended time, which has also contributed to its fame. The themes of this speech represent struggles which America has faced since its origins and which it continues to face today.

One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land.

These are not the struggles of a particular era; instead, these words reflect the struggle of Black people today as much as they captured the struggle in 1963. King both recognized the ongoing struggle and provided hope for moving forward. He envisioned an America where children were valued because of their character and where justice is finally realized. He provided hope for Americans to "transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood." The speech reflects not simply endless struggle, but also endless hope. Hope is powerful and transformative, and this is another reason why the speech became famous.

King's power of rhetoric is also important to consider in this speech. Using the technique of ethos, he establishes himself as a credible and knowledgeable source of information. Using pathos, he utilizes Biblical truths to sway the emotions of his listeners, convincing them to take action. He uses logos to demonstrate the fundamental American rights that have been denied to Black people. All of this creates a compelling speech that is impossible to ignore.

I also credit King's public speaking abilities to the success of his speech. Relying on a cadence and rhythm that is often employed in sermons, King uses his voice to create a captivating presence. There are few public speakers who are this talented, and King's voice was exactly perfect for the message of this speech.

What is Martin Luther King's dream in the "I Have a Dream" speech?

King's dream was the dream of racial equality: an America where whites and blacks possess the same opportunities and rights. He discusses the abolition of slavery some one hundred years prior, but he argues that blacks have continued to exist in a different kind of enslavement since then. He says that the founding fathers of the nation issued a kind of promise to all Americans, 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. It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned.

Though such a promise was made—a promise that each citizen would have access to the same freedoms—the United States has been delinquent in making sure that such freedoms are equal. King's dream is that this promise will be fulfilled, that the white citizens of the country will recognize that we will all succeed or fail together, that it is "shameful" for so many of its citizens to live in poverty, without access to good education or opportunities for success.

What is Martin Luther King's dream in the "I Have a Dream" speech?

In this speech, King sets out a dream that he has for American society.  The basic idea behind his dream is that there should no longer be racism and racial discrimination in the United States.  During King's time, racial discrimination was legal in the United States.  King dreamed of a time when such discrimination would not be legal.  He also dreamed of a time when there would not be any racism.  As he put it, he dreamed of a time when people would 

not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

In short, King dreamed of an American society in which people were color blind, treating people of all races the same.

What reasons does Martin Luther King Jr. give to support his thesis in his "I Have a Dream" speech?

Dr. King opens his "I Have a Dream" speech by saying, "I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation." Dr. King's point in this speech is to illustrate all the ways in which African Americans are not being treated equally. Dr. King lists many reasons to support his message.

First, Dr. King refers to the Emancipation Proclamation and how one hundred years later, "the Negro" is still not free. Dr. King states that now is the time to rise from segregation to the path of racial justice. No longer should there be any "For Whites Only" signs. All people of all colors should be able to go to the same hotels, the same restaurants, and the same restrooms. Dr. King dreams of the nation living into its creed set down in the Declaration of Independence: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."

Second, Dr. King goes on to point out that not all African Americans have their rights as citizens, such as the right to vote. In New York, Dr. King says, African Americans do not believe they have anything to vote for, while African Americans in Mississippi cannot vote.

Finally, Dr. King has a faith that will transform the discord of the nation into a place of brotherhood. With this faith, Dr. King believes that Black and white Americans will work together, pray together, and stand up for freedom together. He calls for freedom to ring all across the United States.

What reasons does Martin Luther King Jr. give to support his thesis in his "I Have a Dream" speech?

Martin Luther King, Jr.'s thesis in his "I Have a Dream" speech is that, even 100 years after Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, the African American "still is not free." To support his thesis, King points to such injustices as segregation, discrimination, and poverty.

King uses many references to segregation to illustrate the harshness of its reality. For example, he points out that weary African-American travelers are denied admittance to motels and hotels. He further points out that African American children must face signs that say "For Whites Only," signs that rob them of fully wanting to express themselves as African Americans and of their self-respect.

To illustrate the harsh reality of poverty, King points out that most African Americans are living in slums and ghettos and can only move "from a smaller ghetto to a larger one."

To illustrate the harsh realities of discrimination, King describes the discrimination his children face, pleading for it to end.

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.

Additionally, King illustrates his points by referencing racist Alabama Governor George Wallace and his attempts to bar African-American students from enrolling in schools, nine years after the decision of Brown v. Board of Education declared segregation in schools unconstitutional.

What were Dr. King's political motivations behind delivering his "I Have A Dream" speech?

One of Dr. King's strongest political motivations in delivering his "I Have a Dream" speech was to generate public support for Civil Rights in America.

The moral and ethical dimensions of Dr. King's speech are well understood. However, there was a distinct political reality into which he inserted the speech's words.  Dr. King's speech was a part of the "The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom."  The entire weekend was dedicated to generating public awareness about the need for African- Americans to be seen as a part of American society.  Their demands were economic and social. Organizers of the event insisted on more economic opportunity for African- Americans.  They sought greater job opportunities and a higher minimum wage.  Both of these fed into the political context of the time.  While the Civil Rights Act had not yet been passed, President Kennedy had introduced anti- discrimination legislation.  Leaders in the Civil Rights Movement understood that they had an opening that had to be seized.  The public was slowly gaining awareness that the way African- Americans were being treated in America had to be reexamined.

Civil Rights leaders like Dr. King understood that the March on Washington could be an opportunity for the public to see the Civil Rights issue in both political and human terms.  They wanted the American public to see African- Americans as human beings, people who were simply trying to act upon their own vision of the American Dream.  It is for this reason that Dr. King's speech referenced "the promissory note" from the Founding Fathers, words from scripture, and the idea that "the dream" is within every human being who wants a better life for themselves and their children.  This "humanizing" effect was politically driven.  Dr. King recognized that once Americans began to see African- Americans as no different than anyone else, the political goals of greater social and economic freedom could be realized.