Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the foreground with other people standing attentively in the background

"I Have a Dream" Speech

by Martin Luther King Jr.

Start Free Trial

Discussion Topic

Impact and Significance of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" Speech

Summary:

Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, delivered during the 1963 March on Washington, was pivotal in highlighting racial inequality and advocating for civil rights. King's eloquent rhetoric called for racial equality, non-violent resistance, and unity across America. His dream envisioned a nation where individuals are judged by character, not skin color. The speech significantly influenced the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and remains a powerful symbol of hope and change both in the U.S. and globally.

Expert Answers

An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

What was Martin Luther King Jr.'s purpose for his "I Have a Dream" speech?

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,...

Unlock
This Answer Now

Start your 48-hour free trial and get ahead in class. Boost your grades with access to expert answers and top-tier study guides. Thousands of students are already mastering their assignments—don't miss out. Cancel anytime.

Get 48 Hours Free Access
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.

Approved by eNotes Editorial
An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

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.

Approved by eNotes Editorial
An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

What impact did Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech have?

It would be hard to qualify the enormous impact of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. Not only did those words resonate throughout the entire globe shortly after King delivered the speech, but they are still summoned today to continue to challenge Americans to seek out and eliminate racism wherever it exists.

Most immediately, the speech was part of the 1963 March on Washington, and both the event and the speech were important in bringing the 1964 Civil Rights Act to fruition. The rhetoric of King's speech made a compelling argument that was hard for Americans to ignore. By drawing from the words of Abraham Lincoln, the Constitution, and the Declaration of Independence, the speech argued that the "unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" were fundamentally granted to everyone in America.

King's words stirred the hearts of Americans with a vision of brotherhood reaching from the Rockies of Colorado to Stone Mountain in Georgia. Combined with television broadcasts of the deep racial divisions in the South, the speech encouraged people to consider a more inclusive America.

King understood that the changes which America so desperately needed would not happen quickly. Indeed, those same words are still being discussed and held up as an iconic reminder of the ongoing work that is needed in America. On the fiftieth anniversary of the speech, President Barack Obama celebrated the life of Martin Luther King Jr. and the impact of the speech in front of the Lincoln Memorial.

The impact of the speech was also felt globally. There is a Martin Luther King Road in Zambia and a Martin Luther King Street in Mpumalanga. France has a Martin Luther King Monument, and children in London can play at the Martin Luther King Adventure Playground. The BBC commissioned world leaders, protestors, and peacemakers to take turns reading aloud sections of the "I Have a Dream" speech, reaching an audience of 239 million people over fifty years after King's speech.

King's words challenged people of all races, all over the world, to realize that our destinies all depend on each other. The speech asked us all to find credence in the truth that "all men are created equal" and to then act when we find individuals and groups who are not treated equally. His words provided a needed spark that began to shift attitudes and perspectives, the impact of which is still being felt today.

References

Approved by eNotes Editorial
An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

Why did Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. give his "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.

Approved by eNotes Editorial
An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

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.

Approved by eNotes Editorial
An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

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.

Approved by eNotes Editorial
An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

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.

Approved by eNotes Editorial
An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

Why was Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech pivotal in American history?

Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech on August 28, 1963, during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. His speech was pivotal because it brought civil rights and the call for African-American rights and freedom to the forefront of Americans' consciousness.

It is estimated that over 250,000 people attended the march, which also received a great deal of national and international media attention. The speech helped make Civil rights an issue that attracted by African American and white people in a national coalition. In the speech, Dr. King promoted his idea of non-violent resistance as a means of achieving equality and stated, "We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence." His words helped gain passage of the Civil Rights of 1964, which provided for equal rights for African-American people. In addition, the speech was one of the most eloquently written and most movingly delivered speeches in American history. It is still studied today as an example of fine rhetoric.

Dr. King gave his speech in front of the Lincoln Memorial, which was symbolic because Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, exactly one hundred years before, freeing the slaves in the Confederacy. Dr. King mentioned this symbolism in his speech, stating, "Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation." He went on to say, however, that "the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself in exile in his own land." By speaking in front of the Lincoln Memorial, Dr. King contrasted the majesty of the memorial with the reality of the condition of African Americans in the country, who were still disenfranchised and treated like second-class citizens at best.

In his speech, Dr. King called for equality and redefined the American Dream not as one of prosperity alone but as one of freedom and equality. In a series of passages that began with the words "I have a dream," King stated his vision of equality and brotherhood in all parts of the United States. For example, he stated:

"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 will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood."

Dr. King redefined America not as a place in which only white people were entitled to the promises of liberty and freedom but as a place in which everyone had the right to these promises and to the potential for acceptance and equality. He redefined the American Dream not merely as the right of whites to access life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness but as the right of all people to do so and to live with the full acceptance of others. He believed that Americans could not be free until everyone was free, and so he redefined the American Dream as not only an individual promise but as a communal promise as well. 

Approved by eNotes Editorial
An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

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.

Approved by eNotes Editorial
An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

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.

Approved by eNotes Editorial
An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

What is the historical context of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech?

According to an illuminating article by The Guardian, this was not the first time time Martin Luther King had used the words "I have a dream" in a speech. However, it was the first time he was addressing the nation. As The Guardian says, his speech took place in Washington, DC, in front of 250,000 people and three television networks. So, in this regard, what was thought by some of his followers as a rather a trite line, "I had a dream," became synonymous with the civil rights movement and African Americans' march toward equality.

The quote below puts the line in more context.

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. I have a dream...I have a dream that one day in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification, one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

As you can see, the power of the speech comes not only from his powerful delivery but also from his central idea that he wants to live in harmony with the white population.

Earlier in the speech, he recalls the words of the Declaration of Independence, which, as he says, states all people in America, black or white,

would be guaranteed the unalienable right of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

These are words designed to resonate as much with the American government as with the people. After the speech, President Kennedy was said to have remarked, “He’s damned good.”

Approved by eNotes Editorial
An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

As King himself points out in the speech, the historical context of the various civil rights King advocates for goes back a hundred years.

The "I Have A Dream" speech was most famously given (it was a stump speech King gave in other locales) in August 1963 in the open mall area between the Capitol building and the Washington Monument during the March on Washington. On that day, it particularly galvanized the crowd.

The hundred years's context is Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 that freed the slaves in the rebel states. One of King's main points in the speech is that the black people might be freed, but they will have waited a century to gain their rights—and still lack them. He says they have been told to wait patiently for the right time, but he notes that that time never seems to come. King says that now—right now—is the time for white people to make good on their promise to grant black citizens equal rights. The country is prospering, and black people have waited a long time for a place at the table. There is no reason to withhold equal rights any longer.

Approved by eNotes Editorial
An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his eloquent "I Have a Dream Speech" at the August, 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom at a critical time in the civil rights movement. Though the Montgomery Bus Boycott had ended in 1956 with the integration of the buses in Montgomery, Alabama, African Americans still struggled to exercise basic human rights.

In the spring of 1963, King's Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) organized the Birmingham Campaign to integrate the downtown and shopping areas of Birmingham, Alabama, considered one of the most segregated cities in America at the time. Part of the campaign involved the use of children protesting, as their parents would have lost their jobs by doing so. The Commissioner of Public Safety in the city, Eugene "Bull" Connor, turned hoses and dogs on the children, and the photos of these brutal actions were broadcast around the country and the world. Following this campaign, Dr. King organized the March on Washington to further publicize the need for integration.

Approved by eNotes Editorial
An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

Dr. King gave his iconic speech on August 28, 1963, at the foot of the Lincoln Memorial, as 250,000 protestors converged on Washington, DC, for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. King was the last speaker that day, and he departed from his prepared remarks at the urging of Mahalia Jackson, who called out for him to talk about "the dream," referring to remarks he had made two months earlier in Detroit.

To place the speech in its historical context of other prominent events of the Civil Rights Movement, the Brown v. Board of Education landmark ruling declaring the segregation of schools to be unconstitutional had come down in 1954. Rosa Parks's stand in 1955 sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott. President JFK proposed federal legislation in June of 1963 that would ban discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

Developments following King's speech were the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Approved by eNotes Editorial
An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

The historical context of this speech was the Civil Rights Movement and the March on Washington.  King gave the speech as part of his ongoing effort to win rights for African Americans.  African Americans had been denied equal rights in the United States for as long as it existed.  This was true even though the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments to the Constitution had guaranteed them their rights soon after the Civil War (almost 100 years before this speech).  In 1963, the Civil Rights Movement (in its protest stage) had been going on for about 5 years without a major legislative win.  It was in this context that King helped to organize the March on Washington.  He hoped that the march would put pressure on Congress to pass laws that would truly reform race relations.  It was in this context that he gave this speech.

Approved by eNotes Editorial
An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

In 1963, African Americans were justifiably tired of waiting for the promises guaranteed to them as American citizens, and many looked to the leadership of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for guidance. In 1961, they had participated in the Freedom Rides; although these efforts led to changes in bus segregation, many African Americans suffered vicious beatings in order to obtain those changes. In 1963, King was a vocal leader in the Birmingham Campaign, calling this city in Alabama "the most segregated in the country." King was imprisoned in Birmingham, where he penned his convincing "Letter from Birmingham Jail," which pressed religious leaders to reconsider their stance on race relations and necessary actions that needed to follow.

This climate led to the March on Washington, which is where King delivered his "I Have a Dream Speech" to around 250,000 people. He wove the Emancipation Proclamation, the United States Constitution, and the Bible into his passionate delivery. The speech contains various examples of well-constructed figurative language that commands auditory attention and presents a compelling portrait of the injustices inflicted on a population of American citizens. In the speech, King looks to the past to highlight the contrast between the promises guaranteed to them and the reality of the world African Americans still live in:

But one hundred years later, the Negro still is 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. So we have come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.

King goes on to explain that the group has gathered to cash a metaphorical check guaranteed to them by the Declaration of Independence, and he refuses to believe that there are "insufficient funds" to deliver on these promises.

King ends the speech with a plea for the audience to return to their homes all over the country, even in the deeply segregated South, and take this dream of equality with them, pushing peacefully for change.

The speech was immediately hailed as a great success, and it was at least partially responsible for the beginnings of a shift in American thought and policy; the Civil Rights Act of 1964 followed, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 came after that.

Approved by eNotes Editorial
An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

The immediate context of the speech was the civil rights March on Washington in 1963. The event would be televised, streamed into the homes of millions of Americans, many of whom would have had only limited awareness of the civil rights struggle.

That being the case, Martin Luther King Jr. took his opportunity to make a speech that consciously invoked those landmarks of American freedom such as the Declaration of Independence, the Emancipation Proclamation, and the Gettysburg Address. In doing so, he sought to convince millions of Americans that the attainment of civil rights represented not a threat to the tradition of American freedom, but rather its fulfillment.

It was this strenuous effort on King's behalf to place the civil rights movement in its historical context that earned him the opprobrium of more radical African American leaders such as Malcolm X. They argued that it was the whole tradition of American liberty that was the problem, not whether or not the civil rights movement fitted into it.

However, King's speech was hugely successful. As well as being instantly hailed as a great piece of oratory, it had the intended effect of educating more Americans on the reality of the civil rights struggle, and it helped lead, in due course, to the passing of landmark civil rights legislation such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Approved by eNotes Editorial
An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

The “I Have a Dream” speech was the most famous speech given by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  Dr. King was in need of a significant speech. He needed a speech that would give momentum to the civil rights movement. While Dr. King had national recognition, he needed to give a powerful speech to a national audience. While he was well known in the southern churches for his speaking, most people throughout the United States hadn’t heard him give a full speech. This speech, to be given at the March on Washington in late August 1963, would be covered by the major national television stations. There was a lot of debate within Dr. King’s inner circle about what to say and what not to say. Some people didn’t want him to use the “I Have a Dream” concept. They felt it had been overused and wouldn’t be effective. Dr. King wanted the speech to be received in a similar manner as the Gettysburg Address was received. Dr. King often took drafts of speeches prepared by his aides, and then molded them to fit his needs. When Dr. King put the finishing touches on the draft of the speech, the “I Have a Dream” part was not in the speech. As Dr. King was finishing his speech, one of his favorite gospel singers, Mahalia Jackson, twice yelled out to “tell ‘em about the dream, Martin.” Dr. King put down his prepared text, and then delivered the powerful “I Have a Dream” speech with which he is forever remembered.

Approved by eNotes Editorial
An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

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.

Approved by eNotes Editorial
An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

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.

Approved by eNotes Editorial
An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

What do you know about Martin Luther King's 1963 "I have a dream" speech?

I think the speech is a rhetorical masterpiece. It is also highly influential in our history. The speech is well-known and still studied today as an example of using rhetorical and persuasive devices. What I know about this speech is that most people have not read or seen the entire speech.
Approved by eNotes Editorial
An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

The "I Have A Dream" speech delievered by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on that August day in 1963 finds itself on the shelf with Washington's Farewell Address, Jefferson's Declaration and Inaugural Address, Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation and Gettysburg Address, F.D.R.'s Four Freedoms Speech, Kennedy's Inaugural Address and Berlin Wall Speech, and Reagan's iconic statement 'Mr.Gorbechev Tear Down That Wall'. Forgive me, for I name only a few of the greatest words ever spoken by the best that The United States has had to offer. However, Dr. King's emotional, beautiful, and honest delievery of his words that day tapped into the spiritual bloodline of ALL humanity. When I teach The Civil Rights Movement my students read the speech several times. Year after year something new is discovered. When I show the film footage of the speech without fail I am emotionally moved, as are they. Unfortunately, today popular culture and society reflects  a desensitized mentality with regard to the meaning of humanity. It has inhibited young people from expressing emotions which are necessary to understand, explain, and contemplate the meaning of who we are as a people. In a 42 minute period  Dr. King's speech in front of the Lincoln Memorial drowns my students in senistivity. When all is said and done my kids walk away understanding that when it comes to human beings it is the content of one's character that individuals must be recognized for, not the color of their skin.  

Approved by eNotes Editorial
An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

Martin Luther King, Jr's speech was monumental!  It is one of the best, most prophetic speeches made by anyone, in my opinion.  It is inspiring, exciting, and important in the annals of history.  His speech involved the dreams he had for African-Americans and the rights he wanted them to have.  He also mentioned children and how both white and black children ideally should be playing together as HUMAN BEINGS.

Approved by eNotes Editorial
An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

The speech mentioned above was a battle cry for racial reconciliation and tolerance during the turmoil of the 1960s. King uses great imagery in the portrayal of his "dream:" children walking hand in hand, the free expression of emotion, etc.

He also uses a number of poetic devices, including alliteration, assonance, repetition, and others. In referencing great documents of our founding fathers and previously impactful texts (negro spirituals, patriotic songs, etc.), King is appealing to the broadest possible audience.

This speech was intended not only for the majority of his African-American supporters, but for the country at large during a chaotic social era. And while King's suggested protest strategies were generally acts of passive resistance, the upheaval that resulted from them was severe: police actions, cultural conflict, and public unrest were all trademarks of the civil disobedience movement initiated by King and other leaders of this period. Perhaps this effect is why King and those like him were supported by the Communist Party of the 1960s.   

Approved by eNotes Editorial
An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

What values does Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech communicate?

Two values of the 1960s embodied in Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech are transformation and community.

Transformation was an important value in the 1960s.  The time period changed the way people viewed the world.  It was evident in music, art, and literature.  It was also a significant part of the political landscape of the time period.  The shifting dynamics of race, class, gender, and sexual identity were all addressed in the 1960s.  Dr. King's speech embraces this idea of change.  "I Have a Dream" is significant because it moved the issue of civil rights to the forefront of American consciousness. The speech transformed how people viewed racial equality. The speech forced the issue that racial injustice must change. It made civil rights a moral issue. Americans of all backgrounds could no longer claim that it was a "political" or "state" issue.  Rather, the language and imagery that Dr. King employed made racial justice a spiritual necessity, something that found its root in Scripture.  Dr. King's speech caused people to change their thinking about civil rights.  In doing so, "I Have a Dream" embraced a significant value of the 1960s.

The value of community was important to the 1960s. From communes that became socially acceptable to the idea that inclusivity of voices was important to American identity, the 1960s emphasized a collective cultural identity.  "I Have a Dream" places importance on community.  Dr. King is deliberate in suggesting that racial equality can only be accomplished when everyone comes together, and can "sit down at the table of brotherhood." Dr. King uses references from Christianity to enhance the community, showing that civil rights is not an issue that only applies to one group.  Rather, he affirms that it is a reality that impacts everyone.  In employing "My Country, Tis of Thee" and ending with “from every mountainside, let freedom ring,” the speech strongly underscores community. In doing so, Dr. King echoes a value from the 1960s, and indelibly links his speech to the time period.

Approved by eNotes Editorial
An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

How did the "I Have a Dream" speech impact the world?

Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech has had an incredible impact on the world. After giving his speech in Washington, DC, on August 28, 1963, King and other activists met with then president John F. Kennedy. King’s speech is widely believed to have pushed Kennedy and his successor, Lyndon B. Johnson, to pass landmark civil rights legislation, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

That law prohibited racist voting requirements, like literacy tests. It also banned racial discrimination in public schools, motels, hotels, and restaurants. The law went beyond race. It also outlawed discrimination based on religion, gender, or ethnicity. Again, King’s speech is widely credited with helping to spur this landmark legislation and other laws like it, including the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

However, the 1965 act, along with Black voting rights in general, is still undermined. In 2013, the Supreme Court ruled against key elements of the 1965 act. Many states continue to devise ways to keep Black people from voting.

Without demeaning King’s tangible influence, one could argue that King’s impact is mostly symbolic. As Michelle Alexander and other scholars have shown, the United States continues to be a deeply racist nation. Additionally, though an array of presidents and politicians celebrate and honor King, when you look at their policies, it’s hard to reconcile those policies with King’s ideals.

For example, Bill Clinton spoke reverently of King during his presidency, yet the crime bills and welfare reform that he signed into law had a terrible impact on the Black community at large. Likewise, Barack Obama praised King often during his presidency, but scholars like Cornel West have drawn attention to the ways in which Obama’s policies contradicted King’s vision.

So, yes, King’s speech has had a lasting impact on the world. It led to the passage of notable civil rights legislation. It also provided inspiration for other anti-racist struggles across the globe, including Nelson Mandela’s fight against apartheid in South Africa.

Yet looking at the world today, it’s not unreasonable to conclude that King’s impact is more figurative than concrete. This isn't King’s fault but perhaps has more to do with how common it is for people to evoke King’s name and spirit and how rare it is for people to do things that actually align with his message.

Approved by eNotes Editorial
An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

What is the importance of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech?

Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech, delivered on the mall in Washington, DC, in front of an enormous audience, was one of the defining events of the civil rights movement.

Its importance is manifold. King begins with a reference to the Emancipation Proclamation, the executive order issued by Abraham Lincoln in 1863 that freed the slaves. He remarks, sadly, that "one hundred years later, the Negro is still not free." The speech was the crowning event in the march on Washington, a major protest organized by civil rights leaders in the battle to improve the economic and social conditions of African-Americans.

King was a preacher and master orator, but the "I Have a Dream" speech stands head and shoulders above much of what he said before. Apparently the final passages of the speech, where King compares his dreams about the success of the struggle for civil rights with the larger idea of the "American dream," was not prepared beforehand and is an ad-lib.

Whether prepared or not, it is clear that King's words were a powerful rallying point and may have tipped the balance toward the final signing of the Civil Rights Act in 1964. It is, without doubt, one of the great speeches in American history, comparable even to Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.

Approved by eNotes Editorial
An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

What is the speaker's purpose or message in "I Have a Dream"?

The overriding purpose in Dr. King's words was to bring a moral or spiritual dimension to the socio- political challenge of achieving Civil Rights legislation in America.  Dr. King's greatest and most profound legacy in his speech was to make the issue of racial discrimination a moral one, one that possessed a biblical dimension to it.  This speech framed the debate about Civil Rights in spiritual terms, almost so that individuals who opposed it would be in opposition of something that arises out of scripture.  The invocation of religious imagery proves this.  The entire text of the speech brings this to the forefront and in the process Dr. King ended up becoming not only a political leader of the movement, but its spiritual compass, as well.

Approved by eNotes Editorial
An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

It may be difficult to understand the writer's purpose if you do not understand the context of the speech, so I have included a few links for you about the Civil Rights Era and about King. Between the end of the Civil War and the 1960s, African-Americans were free from slavery, but suffered greatly from discrimination.  So the freedom that King is seeking is freedom from discrimination for African-Americans. His purpose is to persuade America to pass laws that would make discrimination illegal and to persuade Americans to stop discriminating against African-Americans. 

King uses many literary devices in this speech, including repetition, rhythm, alliteration, and metaphor, quite skillfully.  There are a number of motifs in the speech, including light, dark, and fire.  King uses an extended metaphor when he starts talking about the mountains in various states, which represent the heights we must climb to achieve the goal, and there is a great extended metaphor about freedom being a debt owed to African-Americans. The full power of the speech is even more apparent when you can see him and listen to him speaking, so I have included a link for that, too. 

King also uses allusions to America's past, including an opening that reminds us of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address and references to our founding fathers and the Constitution.

This is a speech that is so rich in its content that you could spend days writing a paper about the devices King used to move and persuade his audience. 

I hope this help you. Good luck!

Approved by eNotes Editorial
An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

What were Dr. King's political motivations for 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.

Approved by eNotes Editorial