Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is known across the country as a staunch, unwavering supporter of civil rights. On August 16, 1963, he delivered one of the most iconic speeches of the century on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial: “I Have a Dream”. In doing so, Dr. King addresses not only the black community facing prejudice and cruelty, but the entirety of the nation in his call for racial justice. The Reverend powerfully blends reality with what he wishes his America looked like: a place free of racial biases and violence; a place where his children can grow up safe and happy with equal opportunities. Despite challenges to his safety, Dr. King gave an address that would invoke change in a nation that gravely needed it.
To begin, King used argumentative tactics to support his stance. Firstly, he alludes to the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence (14-15), most specifically the rights that are promised to “all men” (16). Dr. King knows that these rights were guaranteed, but there remained a gap between planning and application that lasted for several hundred years. That gap allowed injustices to continue unchecked and largely unabated. Furthermore, alluding to these rights reinforces his position as an American citizen. Historically, people of color had been denied rights and …show more content…
Before and after his assassination in 1968, King’s messages of nonviolence, justice, and equity would foster change. His efforts, and call to all Americans, regardless of ethnic background, helped to uproot the pre-existing prejudices ingrained in the system. Dr. King and his message of action coming from all sides parallels the words of Desmond Tutu: “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the
To begin, King used argumentative tactics to support his stance. Firstly, he alludes to the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence (14-15), most specifically the rights that are promised to “all men” (16). Dr. King knows that these rights were guaranteed, but there remained a gap between planning and application that lasted for several hundred years. That gap allowed injustices to continue unchecked and largely unabated. Furthermore, alluding to these rights reinforces his position as an American citizen. Historically, people of color had been denied rights and …show more content…
Before and after his assassination in 1968, King’s messages of nonviolence, justice, and equity would foster change. His efforts, and call to all Americans, regardless of ethnic background, helped to uproot the pre-existing prejudices ingrained in the system. Dr. King and his message of action coming from all sides parallels the words of Desmond Tutu: “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the