Martin luther king

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Recommended: The impact of Martin Luther King Jr

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In class we had the opportunity to look at historical speeches that were highly influential, we then analyzed them to recognise some literary techniques. We looked at many speeches but the “I have a dream” speech by Martin Luther King really interested me. I had the desire to make a context where I go further look into the literary techniques used in a his speech that affected the civil rights movement. I then decided to write a magazine article as a sort of tribute to 50 years since Martin Luther Kings deliverance of his speech “I have a dream”. I was unable to pick a specific magazine company for my article but I believe it would best suit young adults looking for a bit of history and literature, maybe the Cobblestone an educational magazine designed for High schools. I will be calling the article “50 going strong”. In the article I will talk about Martin Luther King, his speech, the techniques used in his speech and how it affected the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950’s and 60’s. In this task I was forced to think about analytically about Language and Power.

50 Going Strong

Martin Luther King? A man admired and idealized for his public speaking but most of all for his courage and his noble qualities. A hero.

Born in 1929 on April 4th Martin Luther King was brought up by a religious family of pastors in Atlanta, Georgia. Originally named Michael he attended a segregated high school and graduated at the age of 15. He later received the B. A. degree in 1948 from Morehouse College, a Negro Institution of Atlanta from which both his father and grandfather had graduated. In 1957 The Southern Christian Leadership Conference was formed and Martin Luther King was to provide new leadership for the civil rights movement...

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...he Southern Christian conference and group that looked to use nonviolent protests to fight discrimination. It is truly moving to hear about such man and what he stood for, believed in and achieved in his lifetime. To come to the realization of just how great a role he played in our world's history is admirable. It is jaw dropping to consider just how much language can influence our audience and manipulate them to think and feel the way in which you wish. Understanding the magnitude of the role language plays is worth knowing. We need to take the time to consider and appreciate the importance of the English language in society based on how it can be used to “segregate” or bring together communities. Language is power and if you know how to use it right you just might be standing behind President Lyndon B. Johnson as he signs the Civil Rights Act of 1964 into law.

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