Essay On I Have A Dream Speech

Improved Essays
During the mid twentieth century, racism began to climax in the United States. Tensions of racial differences erupted. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. solidified his position as leader of the African Americans and the struggle for equality. King spoke at many rallies and events. The most notable being his “I Have a Dream” speech. This speech remains one of the most powerful and influential speeches in history. King gave the speech on August 28, 1963 at the Lincoln Memorial. King attracted nearly 250,000 thousand citizens after the march on Washington (CNN). King’s main purpose of this speech was to inform listeners about the injustices of segregation and discrimination. King states “ I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history …show more content…
Martin Luther King took a stand and inspired a nation with his inspirational actions and powerful words. With King’s creative rhetoric, he kept is his audience intrigued by the use of ethos, pathos, and logos. He provided prove to Americans that racism and segregation was not the intention in the foundation of America. In front of the Lincoln Memorial, he states “Five score years ago a great American in whose symbolic shadow we stand today signed the Emancipation Proclamation” (King). This quote proves that he is not the only person fighting for black equality. Abraham Lincoln was a president that many people look up to as a role model, and by using him, the audience may feel like they are fighting for the same cause. King is using the authority of Lincoln and his similar views on the civil rights to enhance his argument. This is providing a strong ethos appeal and the audience now views King’s argument as being credible. His speech also references the Declaration of Independence to provide authority. He quotes “unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”(King). His use of this quote is to get the audience to view him as a credible source. He is stating that the American government has disregarded the right of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness to all of the American citizens, not just African Americans. King increases his credibility in his “I Have a Dream” speech by tapping into the authority of Lincoln and our Constitution. King's use of pathos is remarkable as he strikes emotional values of all American Citizens. To most people the Bible causes an emotional appeal. King uses this to his advantage and states “And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together” (King). He is using the Bible to provide a belief that all people must stand together to create change. To change segregation and racism, all communities must come together. Not one group can bring about

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    King is talking about how Abraham Lincoln declared all slaves shall be free. The point both men were trying to prove is don’t just look at someone based on the colour of their skin, following the lines of “never judge a book by its…

    • 428 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    The American Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s was perhaps the most important stepping stone towards social equality this country has ever had. The Civil Rights Movement called into question the country’s morality. Dr. King’s bold actions were different than many other attempts made throughout American history in that it stood on the foundation of peaceful protest. Dr. King’s most well-known speech “I Have a Dream” is perhaps this crowning achievement.…

    • 267 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Constitution and the Declaration of Independence are some of the oldest documents that established freedom and are still in use today. It wouldn’t have been possible to write such an outstanding piece of Literature and law purely based on research. Well recognized ethical speakers and activist such as Martin Luther King Jr, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton experienced inequality in the “American dream and for the most sacred values” (King) in their time of living during segregation. With their personal experience of living during segregation, Martin Luther King Jr and Elizabeth Cady Stanton were able to imply authority, reputation, similarities and connection with audience into their speeches by use of ethos. Another “very worthy person, a true…

    • 779 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    From Segregation to Integration: Rhetorical Appeals in “I Have a Dream.” Martin Luther King Jr’s, “I Have a Dream,” speech at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. is not just a speech. It speaks to men and women of all races. It addresses the issues of racism and how nothing has changed in over 100 years. It reiterates the work that Abraham Lincoln once tried to install with the Emancipation Proclamation.…

    • 716 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In Martin Luther King, Jr's “I have a Dream” speech, King gave many African Americans hope by demonstrating the real promises of democracy. He did not use his speech to only talk about African Americans, but rather express a brotherhood between the different races. He emphasized that after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, 100 years later, African Americans were still not…

    • 866 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    The Negroes were victims of discrimination and were not allowed to affiliate with the white Americans. They had been taken as slaves from their own countries, and they felt like aliens in this country. For many years, they lived as exiles in their own land. Dr. Kings speech was very effective because of his skillful use of the rhetorical tools ethos, logos, and pathos. Because of these tools and the events when it was written, “I Have a Dream” has shaped America in astounding ways.…

    • 1072 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    As we all know King was famous for his speech, “I Have a Dream.” It has touched so many people in various different ways, and people have many different thoughts on it. Martin Luther King Jr. was the one who delivered the speech on August 28, 1963 at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. The main purpose or point King tried to get across was racial equality, to obtain equality, and equal rights for all the people. King was born on January 15, 1929 and passed on April 4, 1968.…

    • 759 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    He delivered one of the most famous speeches of our country’s history, “I Have a Dream.” Hundreds of thousands of people gathered to hear Dr. King speak about his hopes for the future and bringing an end to segregation. As King continued to attract more and more activists, he also began to draw the attention of the media. When Dr. King and his followers planned to march across the bridge from Selma to Montgomery, they were awaited by the state troopers. Unwavering in their beliefs, the marchers continued, only to be attacked by the force.…

    • 1141 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    King is well-known for his leadership in the church, establishing the credibility and power of the Christian faith to transform the ignorance and hatred of those that persecute the innocent. However, the public doesn’t know about Dr. King calling for reformation of the church. He wanted “ecclesial structures to embody the beloved community in spirit and example” (Baldwin 27). The Christian faith is not able to change the conditions of the black people, if the church itself still remains divided by race more than by “differences in denomination, gender, or sexual orientation” (Baldwin 27). King recognized the duality of the church as it was “both the body of Christ and the greatest bulwark of white supremacy” (Baldwin 28).…

    • 1205 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    He wanted to show that a black man could be educated and make valid points as well as a white man. He says, “ No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream” (King 4). King is skillfully using correct grammar as he proves his point using two metaphors in the same sentence. This strong statement is one that grabs the reader 's attention and exemplifies his amazing writing skills perfectly. King quotes, "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.…

    • 1116 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Hence, he tries to convince the audience that they are all bounded as human beings so everyone should have the same rights. In addition he says, “every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together”(Isaiah 40:4-5). He again uses a biblical reference to emphasise that he believes that God is capable of making things right. Therefore, it would not only be because of the actions of the Civil Rights protesters that is causing them to ceed their rights but also the will of…

    • 992 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Birth of a Nation A dream, a fight for rights, and the simple desire to make a change. Martin Luther King Jr. and Susan B Anthony both wanted to change the world, in two different centuries, for two different reasons, and yet they both were remarkably successful. They both also helped changed the world as we know it today through the power of words.…

    • 1335 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Throughout the movement King and others earned themselves and African Americans the right of freedom of speech. Throughout King’s work, “I Have a Dream” speech and “Letter From Birmingham Jail” he shares logic to show information with his audience,…

    • 812 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Emotions is one of the most vital aspects of humanity, ones emotional response to another can decide the future of ones career, relationship, and even an entire society. The emotional reaction from those around a person will fluctuate depending upon how appealing the person appears. This emotional appeal, or Pathos, is a driving force in any good writing. It gives the audience the gut feelings to drive them forward, though others may disagree. Pathos, logos, and ethos are all rhetorical appeals utilized in Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech “I have a dream”.…

    • 1124 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In historical time Martin Luther King, Jr. was one of the important leaders of the Civil Rights Movement. He preached strict nonviolent resistance. During his time period Martin Luther King wrote, spoke and organized nonviolent protests and mass demonstrations to draw attention to racial discrimination and to demand civil rights legislation to protect the rights of African Americans. (Yunus 8) As well as the king delivered his famous speech “I have a dream” which he visualized a world where people are no longer separate base on skin color and race, a world that people can be equal and live happily. This speech was so powerful and gave a lot of momentum, that Congress enacted the Civil Rights Act in 1964, the same year that king won the honored Nobel Peace Prize.…

    • 1636 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays