I HAVE A DREAM -MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
I
HAVE A DREAM
-MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
Introduction:
Martin
Luther King JR. the symbolic leader of the America blacks delivered the speech,
I have a dream to over 250000 white and black American gathered in Washington
DC on August 28, 1963. It is one if the greatest speeches in American history.
“Injustice
anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
King
begins his speech by expressing his happiness to participate in the greatest
demonstration for freedom in America. The Emancipation Proclamation was signed
by Abraham Lincoln a hundred years before .It gave great hope to the Negro
slaves as it proclaimed the end of their long life of captivity.
“I
had a dream which was not at all a dream”
Demand
for Justice :
Even after hundred years, the Negro is not free. He is chained by
segregation and discrimination. He lives in poverty in the midst of prosperity.
He finds himself in exile is the promise has not been kept up king states that
all men are the children of god. So everyone should be given equal opportunity.
He says that it was the right for justice to be reordered to the Negro without
postponed. If they are denied of their citizen rights the Negro would revolt
and shake the foundation of the country.
“Positive
thinking evokes more energy, more initiative more happiness,”
His
request :
King
wants to the struggle to be dignified and disciplined without violence, but
with the courage of their soul. He advises the veterans of creative suffering
to contain continue to work and to retain the faith that unearned suffering is
redemption. He requests them not to consider the entire white race as the
enemies but only the army. He insists hope in them by saying that surely the
situation can and will be changed soon.
“Don’t
shrink your dreams super size, your courage and abilities.”
His
Dream:
In
the second part of the speech, king talks about his dream which is deeply
rooted in the American dream. The dream is about equality and brotherhood among
all Americans. He dreamt that one day America would rise up and live out the
true meaning of its creed: “We hold this truth to be self –evident that all men
are created equal.” He dreamt that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the
sons of the former slave owners would sit together at a table of brotherhood.
One day even the state of Mississippi would be changed into an easis of freedom
and justice. He sincerely believed that one day his four children would live in
a nation where they would be judged not by the colour of their skin but by the
quality of their character. He visualizes Negro boys and girls walk hand in
hand with white boys and girls as brothers and sisters in Alabama. He tells
them that with that faith they can struggle together for freedom.
“Your
dream doesn’t have an expiration date take a deep to breath and try again .”
End
of the Speech :
King concludes his speech by being in a unifying passage themed around
freedom, if America should be a great nation, this must become true do he says,
“let freedom ring from the prodigious hill tops of New Hampshire.” On such a situation
he trust that the Negro and the white would sing in the words of the old Negro
spiritual,“free at last ! free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at
last!”
“It’s
never too late to change your life.”
Conclusion:
King uses many historical documents to support the argument. He also
refer to our fore father’s promise of liberty life ,and the pursuit of
happiness for all men “black men as well as white man” Throughout the speech,
king uses the words, We and our when referring to the people’ He does not
specifically refer to White Americans or Black Americans but to the country as
a whole. This ground breaking speech is known for the voice of the speaker, the
rhetoric and language used the main argument and the audience to whom it was
directed.
“The
time is always right to do what is right.”
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