Summary Of I Have A Dream Speech

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One Way Ticket to the American Dream Fifty-four years ago, Martin Luther King Jr. stood before a crowd in Washington, DC to discuss his grievances about the treatment of blacks in America. In a speech that even King knew would go down in history as the “greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation” before he began, a movement was sparked by a powerful speaker, causing actions beyond what he ever imagined. To this day, our country continues to carry on his name and legacy by celebrating a national holiday in his honor, Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Before a large crowd of onlookers, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his unforgettable “I Have A Dream” speech to spread his message and inspire a change in the way both black and …show more content…
Starting in the third paragraph, King draws attention to the “changes” that have been made for African Americans and the “changes” they will encounter. He makes this point by starting three consecutive sentences with the phrase, “One hundred years later” after establishing that “the Negro still is not free.” King’s repetition of this phrase, in particular, makes a strong case that not only have blacks faced social injustice in America, but they have continued to and will continue to. Later on, after establishing the problem he is hoping to change, King repeats the phrase, “Now is the time to…” in order to evoke the need for change in all who were standing before him. From the repetition, he effectively persuaded nearly 250,000 people that the time to act is not tomorrow or a week from now or even next year, the time to take matters into their own hands is …show more content…
has gone down in history as one of the best public speakers in not only America but our planet. His talent and passion came during a time when he was a minority and the majority wanted to violently keep them in place. For many, he was inspirational and was the instigator of social justice for blacks in America. For others, specifically the white population in America, some were heavily opposed while the others quietly agreed that change was necessary. Based on different methods and uses of rhetorical devices, King gave one of the most unforgettable speeches in all of history that has remained unforgotten for over fifty years. King is credited with inspiring the civil rights movement for the black population in America due to his ability to persuade a crowd and ignite a strong emotional appeal in the hearts of those who listened to

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