Preview

Summary Mlk Speech

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
636 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Summary Mlk Speech
Summary of Martin Luther King's speech “I Have a Dream”

On 28 August 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. chose the steps of Abraham Lincoln's memorial to deliver the speech “I Have a Dream”. The location chosen could have not been more appropriate as Lincoln was the one who had signed the Emancipation Proclamation.

Luther King starts his inclusive speech ('I am happy to join with you today...') by contrasting and comparing the history of black people in America and their reality in 1963 (100 years later). He calls the attention to the signature of the Emancipation of Declaration, which had been seen as the beginning of a better life for the Black in America, but it ended up not having the results expected. King calls the attention to the still existent segregation and discrimination. It uses words such as 'lonely island' as a metaphor for the exclusion encountered by the Black.

He then mentions a promise has been broken. King notes that the promises contained in the Constitution and Declaration of Independence has not been met. He calls the attention to the fact that in 1963 there is still inequality; he adds that the moment has arrived for the Black to get what has been promised to them as their right. King uses metaphors to express his opinions such as 'cash a check' and 'insufficient funds'. He also uses biblical words such as 'sacred' to refer to the obligation America has.

King urges for changes. He calls the attention to the problem and makes it clear that the issue will not be left alone. He makes it clear that Black people are not going to accept things to remain the way they are. He emphasises that freedom and justice should be given to all Black and White and that he expects it to happen.

Kings' speech is full of energy and he makes it very clear that changes need to happen and that the Black will not accept to be discriminated and excluded from the society. However, his speech is a peaceful speech. As he himself says, physical violence

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    As can be seen, Dr. King rather uses non-violent direct action. It created a crisis which created a tension among the white people. It made them force to approach an issue even after refusing to negotiate. This action lead to many success at the end which granted “freedom”. As of now, it seems like we are heading into a similar situation in the near future. I would follow Dr. Kings steps to persuade the audience to create friendly environment where quality, diversity, and generosity exist throughout the whole…

    • 575 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    During his “I Have A Dream” speech King says “In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.” What King is saying here is that the African American people cannot win if the stoop down to the level of the white racist. Also during his “I Have A Dream” speech King later says “Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive.” King is saying that through all of the violence they will prevail and get equal…

    • 572 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    King said that before anyone takes direct action, the protester first needs to “purify” (567) their soul so that he or she will have no regrets going forward. Taking direct action is the right path but, it needs to be understood that there will be consequences for those actions. Taking a stand has never been easy and can be extremely difficult, but for the future progress of the African American, it was necessary. The protester needed to possess a firm moral conviction that their cause was a righteous and just cause. By combining nonviolent resistance, direct action, and a firm conviction of their cause, King was confident that the oppressors would come to join him in the quest for equality. All other issues would fade away and the only thing left to see would be the true issue, a "good versus evil"…

    • 668 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In Kings 'I have a dream' speech, because of his diverse audience, he sends out somewhat of a mixed tone. He firmly rebukes those who would treat others unfairly while encouraging and uplifting those who would stand for justice. His speech is strewn with detailed metaphors such as his 'bank of justice', 'vaults of opportunity' and 'bad check' which prove in no uncertain terms that the 'Negro' population has been cheated; the 'manacles of segregation' and the 'chains of discrimination' make obvious his disdain for inequality. When speaking to or about those who would judge others because of the color of their skin, King uses a very accusatory diction in order to challenge his audience to make a change. King then alludes to the declaration of independence to validate his argument. Finally, King ends his speech with a strong yet compassionate message of hope and freedom. He plainly states that the time is near when the United States will be a land of peace and equality. Then gives a few final examples not only of the simplicity of equality but of the promising outcome. Altogether, King makes a strong argument for his cause.…

    • 448 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    These defiant actions created tension, but still maintained King’s core principles of being peaceful. But for those who were angry and didn’t understand why African Americans were deliberately committing illegal acts, King not only explains his plan, but continues to dig deeper by answering a question that was asked by many during that time: “Why direct action, why sit-ins, marches and so forth?” (King 2). This shows that people that King wants to help bring clarification that his actions were logistical and justifiable, and that he was not making rash decisions without just…

    • 1033 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    They must fight racial discrimination with peace instead of violence. King juxtaposes when stating, “We cannot walk alone.” He stresses that he and the black community must create an alliance with progressive whites in order to achieve racial equality and justice for blacks. Anaphora and repetition appear in the next part of his speech when King states, “We can never…” He echoes this to demonstrate the inhumane discrimination blacks faced in the 1960’s. He states that he and the black community will never be pleased until they are treated with dignity and…

    • 1154 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In his speech, King moved between light and dark imagery to recall the hardships of the past, without losing sight of the promise of the future. The harsh words reflected horrific times, while his hopeful words and phrases, by comparison, let people know that the pain of the past was not forgotten, and that it was also not in vain. After so many years of struggle and oppression a new era was to be delineated for all people. King's message was about non-violent demonstration. His words directs all eyes to the realization of dreams long-held, which were only a short way off from becoming a realization.…

    • 106 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    King initially draws connections from the current state of African American peoples by referencing allusions to historical documents which assisted in the advances against oppression. In his speech, King begins with a nod to Abraham Lincoln, using “Five score years ago” as his opening statement. He then praises Lincoln, claiming that he was a “symbolic shadow in which we [the people] stand today” and mentions his effort toward the ending of slavery, the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. However, the signing of the document was only a literal end to slavery, but in reality, African Americans were still enslaved by society. King was aware that slavery had been abolished, but obstacles such as Jim Crow laws were almost as detrimental to the Negros as slavery. Although, as he emphasizes, the Declaration of Independence evidently states that “all men are created equal,” African Americans were still being denied their unalienable rights. In theory, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness were to be given to all Americans, regardless of color, but for the Negros, liberty was remarkably lacking. By alluding to…

    • 714 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Martin Luther King Jr. uses a metaphor in his speech when he explains that, “The bank of justice is bankrupt.” He compares a “bank of justice,” to the American government and “bankruptcy” to an insufficient amount of justice in America. Bankruptcy is filed when there is inadequate resources to support an organization. This insufficiency is being compared to injustice for the Black people of America. Furthermore, King Jr. wants to acknowledge that equality and justice can and should be given to the Blacks.…

    • 244 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    "I Have a Dream" was a speech given by Martin Luther King. King was the last to give his speech for the event. He gave his speech on August 28, 1963 on the Lincoln Memorial. The speech was said in the" March on Jobs and Freedom" to approximately 250,000 people were present. King's main purpose for his speech was to end racial inequality throughout the country. More so to get African Americans as much opportunities as anyone else.…

    • 509 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Another way to have more equality and unity in this world is having confidence to stick up what they believe in. In King’s letter he mentioned, "One day the South will know that when these disinherited children of God sat down at lunch counters, they were in reality standing up for what is best in the American dream and for the most sacred values in our Judaeo Christian heritage, thereby bringing our nation back to those great wells of democracy which were dug deep by the founding fathers in their formulation of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence" (King 278). King is insisting that people must fight for what they believe in and truly depict the struggle to achieve equal human rights. King also mentioned that, "We know through painful experiences that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor, it must be demanded by the oppressed" (King 292). Basically, King is saying that the difficult challenges in our all brought within us and that people creates their own future. Although both Obama’s and King’s used very powerful and intellectual words to encourage people that the world can be a better place. I believe that Obama’s words are more…

    • 670 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. gave his “ I have a Dream” speech to hundreds of people at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C revealing the ideals of the current world and encouraging his audience to envision his dream of a new America where segregation and discrimination were abolished. To do this King intelligently chose words, phrases, references that appealed to his audiences commonalities such as religion, their common struggle, and their desire to make the nation great.…

    • 362 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up, live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal.” All throughout history black have been mistreated. Whether it was slavery in early American history or segregation until the mid 1900’s. In the past, blacks were always being treated with such a condescending manner. Beyond question they have never received their God given rights of freedom. Martin Luther King Jr. was on a mission to give blacks the freedom they deserved and have been waiting for all throughout time. King was the leader of the nonviolent civil rights movement. While incarcerated in Birmingham jail King wrote a letter to eight clergymen (priest or minister of a Christian church) to get them to join his nonviolence movement. King utilizes allusions, anaphora, and pathos to convey his disappointed yet hopeful tone to explain why a nonviolent movement is necessary and attempt to persuade people to join him.…

    • 949 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    He says, “Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.” This is a crucially important statement, as King’s leadership was defined by civil disobedience, not violence. He proved that real legal change could be made without resorting to violence. Though there was much violence during the Civil Rights movement, through it all he was always for peace. He always urged others to protest peacefully, what he refers to in his speech as “the high plane of dignity and discipline.”…

    • 2102 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    delivered the speech “I Have a Dream” where his hope and dreams for the black community…

    • 963 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays