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Martin Luther King Jr.'s I Have A Dream

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Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the most influential leaders of his time and played a crucial role in the African-American Civil Rights movement. King took the stand to take radical measures to overcome the false promises of the sovereign government that had been addressing the issues of racial segregation through unimplemented legislation that did nothing to change the grim realities of the society. Hence, King’s works always had the recurring theme of the unity and strength of combined willpower. In a similar light, King addressed the speech "I have a dream" to a peaceful mass gathering in Washington asking for change. His speech did not just leave a profound impression on the political and social atmosphere at the time, but it is still …show more content…

Indeed, the title of the speech “I have a dream” only became a slogan of the civil rights movement due to the repetition of King’s vision which is always preluded by the statement. King acts as the sole voice of the “Blacks” and suggests “I have a dream”: “one day this nation will live out the true meaning of its creed…one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of the former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood…every valley shall be exalted”. By repeating this phrase King is able to envision a new America that is truly united and illicit feelings of hope amongst his followers because the repetition engrains King vision in their minds. King further uses facts to support his “dream” as he delineates all of America when he prolongs that even in “Alabama with its vicious racists” there will be brotherhood amongst the “Blacks and Whites”. Similar to Alabama, southern states of Georgia and Mississippi were also reliant on slave labour to power their agricultural industry. Hence, the dream extends to “the red hills of Georgia” and the “sweltering heat of Mississippi” to show the blood lost in the Black man’s strife and the conditions they have been subjugated to against their will. Perhaps, what is more compelling about Martin’s “dream” is the transition from the first person pronoun …show more content…

In a nutshell, King does a remarkable job of displaying his road to justice in midst of an incredible structural map that is guided through skilful use of words which create a call to action, an engaging poignant appeal that is driven through anaphoric prose and facts, and lastly a powerful biblical approach that adds an intimate steer of credibility. Overall, King helps convey that a speech doesn't simply have to be a verbal remark but it can be a powerful source of bringing light to issues and harnessing change. Even though many people might be capable of bringing this change, a person's speech can be a reflection of their abilities and a tool to engage audiences

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