Mlk Synoposis

The "I have a dream" speech was one of the most famous speeches delivered by Dr. Martin Luther King and one of the most famous speeches of all time. Dr. King delivered this speech on August 28, 1963 at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. More than 200,000 people were in attendance for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. This was a defining moment for the civil rights moment in America. At that time there was considerable friction between whites and blacks. African Americans were trying to move up in the social ladder as they felt they were not being treated equally under the constitution. Blacks had to use separate rest rooms, water fountains and sit separately from whites in restaurants.

Dr. King's speech states his desire for a future where all races are treated equally and live in peace and harmony. The speech was directed towards all blacks to motivate and encourage them to have hope and faith in the future. He stressed to his audience that the means to achieve equality was through nonviolence.

Dr. King's speech was very powerful because resembles the sermon by a black minister. He mentions respected sources that all people can relate to such as the Bible, United States Constitution, Declaration of Independence, and especially the Emancipation Proclamation. Another technique that makes the "I have a dream speech" so powerful is the use of the same words over again to provide emphasis. Dr. King uses the words " I have a dream" eight times in describing what he sees as what is wrong in America then describing how it should appear if racial equality was present in America. Dr. King also used the analogy of the lack of equality of blacks similar to issued a check marked insufficient. He ends the speech by reciting the words of one of our nations most famous songs, "My country tis a thee".

The "I have a dream" speech is considered one of the greatest speeches in history. It has this honor because of the unique way Dr. Martin Luther King uses the comparisons to provide emphasis and the references to national artifacts and the Bible that all people can relate to. However, this speech will also touch a nerve in all people because it should remind us that we are all loved and equal in the eyes of God, which makes no one race beneath another. It should also remind us that we as a nation have an obligation to treat everyone equally. This message