Martin Luther King Jr Last Speech Analysis

“Three hundred years of humiliation, abuse and deprivation cannot be expected to find voice in a whisper,” and Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., one of the champions of civil rights in America, certainly did not speak with a whisper (King 1). The scene in 1968 Memphis, Tennessee was one of dismal drudgery for its black citizens as the civil rights movement made the arduous trek toward equality. Enter King, renowned for his exhilarating speeches and outspoken prominence in the movement. He flew to the aid of the protesters in Memphis and delivered what would be the final speech of his timeless ministry. Speaking to participants in the civil rights movement in Memphis, King hopes not only to motivate and inspire the gathering of black protesters but also to send a clear message to the citizens and government officials of the US that …show more content…
The Constitution guarantees such rights to all of America’s citizens, yet the black population was being blatantly deprived of them. By bringing up and repeating these core liberties, King makes a powerful declaration to government officials that they are responsible for upholding the Constitution and the rights included therein for every race. This appeal to argument balances out an abundance of emotion that might be expected in a motivational speech of this sort, and King shows that his case is not simply based upon appeals for warmhearted goodwill. Instead, his argument for civil rights has a substantial legal and intellectual backing as well and demands the respect of an audience bound to back up the Constitution. Later, King blends this tool of repetition with an understated anecdote from his life that his audience is sure to find