I Have A Dream Dbq

Bailey Gillen
Robert Whitley
History 132-620
17 July 2017
Primary Document Review: "I Have a Dream” Martin Luther King
Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech effectively motivated and inspired the people involved in the Civil Rights Movement. Amidst the turmoil of oppression and racial tensions, Dr. King’s speech gave birth to a new hope and a newly invigorated spirit within the African American people. His speech is still remembered today as one of the most momentous moments of the movement. To say that Dr. King’s speech left an impression would be a major understatement, but what kind of impression was King trying to make?
When Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous “I Have a Dream speech, he was trying to urge the participants of the Civil Rights Movement to keep pressing forward in peaceful protest. He understood the ease with which one could be overwhelmed with hatred and slip into the use of physical violence. The use of physical violence would have undermined the movement and stripped the African American community of white sympathy. Realizing this, Dr. King assured the people of the effectiveness of their methods and reminded them of their cause rooted in justice and freedom. He related with them as to their sufferings and assured all African Americans

that “unearned suffering is redemptive” (Martin Luther King).
Dr.

King delivered his intended message with great success. His effective use of rhetoric and powerful metaphors struck home with listeners in Washington D.C. King was an extremely powerful communicator. By watching the video of his speech, you can see Dr. King change pace and tone with the intensity of approval coming from the crowd. He received stirring rounds of applause and great shouts of confirmation from people feeling the same great weight of oppression as he had described in his speech. Considering the many victories that followed this speech, it can be inferred that the “I Have a Dream” speech successfully motivated the many Civil Rights supporters to continue fighting with peaceful

protests.
If the same message were to be conveyed today, I wouldn’t change much if anything at all. Peaceful protests today often erupt into violent conflict so I think that a similar message would be helpful if delivered in a similar fashion. One thing that could possibly use revision would be some of the examples Martin Luther King gives. One of the primary examples that could be referred back to would be the Civil Rights Movement and this exact speech. This movement to gain equality was an amazing cohesive effort of African American and white supporters alike. As much opposition and fiery hatred as the movement faced, they continued to stand strong together in peaceful demonstrations in order to overcome the vicious racism that had long been in place in the United States.
Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech reassured the people of the Civil Rights Movement that the suffering was worth it. They could know that the thousands of demonstrators around them all felt the same way that they did. King’s invigorating delivery of his well-constructed speech filled listeners with hope and drive that would ultimately carry the Civil Rights Movement to victory. Despite hardships faced by the listeners at the Lincoln Memoria, Dr. King’s speech empowered people of the movement and encouraged them to continue with peaceful protest.

Works Cited
Martin Luther King, Jr., I Have A Dream: Writings and Speeches that Changed the World, ed. James Melvin Washington (San Francisco: Harper, 1986), 102-106.