I Have a Dream Summary/Critique
“I Have a Dream” Response
In Martin Luther King, Jr.’s speech, “I Have a Dream” (King 2010), he addressed the issue of slavery and how American’s country wide need to stand up for freedom. He began his speech by addressing the issue, which was to that day slavery was still relevant. King brought up the Emancipation Proclamation, and how it was “a great beacon light of hope” for those that experienced slavery, but even after 100 years nothing has changed (King 2010). He then talked about how white Americans seem to not care about helping the slaves be free, even though the founding fathers said that all men were created equal. Martin Luther King, Jr. said a change needed to happen now, because they had waited long enough. One point he did make is that they wouldn’t stop for anything in order to get what they deserved, but reminded them that violence shouldn’t be used, but instead to do it peacefully. He asked them not to back down, to fight for their rights, and to go and spread the word to their friends, family, and everyone in their towns. They needed all the support they could get. King finishes his speech with the famous line “I have a dream that my four 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.” (King 2010) He made it clear that we needed to open our eyes and realize that skin color means nothing about a person in general.
One of the first things that King states in his speech is that without the Emancipation Proclamation, they wouldn’t have been able to assemble that day, so it was thanks to Abraham Lincoln that they were able to do so (King 2010). Even though it may not have set the African- Americans free, it was a step forward. America had not given them an opportunity to be human, and King was calling them to duty. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, in reference to the Emancipation Proclamation, “This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope...” King
In Martin Luther King, Jr.’s speech, “I Have a Dream” (King 2010), he addressed the issue of slavery and how American’s country wide need to stand up for freedom. He began his speech by addressing the issue, which was to that day slavery was still relevant. King brought up the Emancipation Proclamation, and how it was “a great beacon light of hope” for those that experienced slavery, but even after 100 years nothing has changed (King 2010). He then talked about how white Americans seem to not care about helping the slaves be free, even though the founding fathers said that all men were created equal. Martin Luther King, Jr. said a change needed to happen now, because they had waited long enough. One point he did make is that they wouldn’t stop for anything in order to get what they deserved, but reminded them that violence shouldn’t be used, but instead to do it peacefully. He asked them not to back down, to fight for their rights, and to go and spread the word to their friends, family, and everyone in their towns. They needed all the support they could get. King finishes his speech with the famous line “I have a dream that my four 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.” (King 2010) He made it clear that we needed to open our eyes and realize that skin color means nothing about a person in general.
One of the first things that King states in his speech is that without the Emancipation Proclamation, they wouldn’t have been able to assemble that day, so it was thanks to Abraham Lincoln that they were able to do so (King 2010). Even though it may not have set the African- Americans free, it was a step forward. America had not given them an opportunity to be human, and King was calling them to duty. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, in reference to the Emancipation Proclamation, “This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope...” King
References: King, Martin Luther, Jr. "The I Have a Dream Speech." U.S. Constitution Online. N.p., 3 Mar. 2010. Web. 19 Oct. 2011. <http://www.usconstitution.net/ dream.html>.