Power and the I Have a Dream Speech Essay

The I Have a Dream speech by Martin Luther King Jr. is one of the classic symbols of civil rights movement since back in the 1960s. Written more than thirty years ago, Kings main focus was how America were struggling with problems of how to create racial equality for all of its citizens. Through his speech he was able to propel our country in a direction in which freedom and equality doesnt need to be fought for, but instead gladly shared by all. In the following passages I will be showing how a single speech by a strong man can change the context of American culture. And even though the speech was written for one reason, it can be viewed to help us get through any tough times.

When Martin Luther King Jr. delivered the I Have a Dream speech on August 28 1963, it was in front of more than 250,000 people who gathered themselves with hope and determination in Washington D.C. in front of the Lincoln Memorial. King chose this day to deliver the speech in honor of the Emancipation Proclamation, which was written 100 years prior. The Emancipation Proclamation was a course of action requiring slaves to be released from certain states here in America. King used this as a jumping board to call attention to the wrongs suffered by African Americans in the 1960s and hoped that federal legislation would help push for change.

At the time, racial discrimination played a large role in everyday life. It was not uncommon or even thought of as wrong to see an African American on the street and show them disrespect. Prior to Kings speech in the 1950s and early 1960s, racial discrimination was deeply imbedded in American society. Reality for many African Americans consisted of poor housing, poor medical services, poor employment, and weak public accommodations. Perhaps worst of all blacks were faced with many injustices within the legal system, not getting fair trials, or not getting a trial at all and being sentenced without any chance of rebuttal.

As the immediate audience listened to the speech when it was given, there is no doubt things were about to change. King raised the eyebrows of thousands of Americans. At the time, people didnt even look at African Americans as an equal. And heck, why not? Many African Americans at the time were not even granted the opportunity to participate in Americas political processes. They were held back by unlawful state laws and reading tests. So why now? How is a single speech going to spark the brain of an entire nation? Well the speech first did that by reaching a very large rhetorical audience. Any person, white or black, rich or poor could listen. This speech was not designed to hit the hearts of only whites, but to give motivation to the black community as well. Now when all these people listen they are being put on an even playing field. No more separate drinking fountains, no more assigned seating with public transportation. The speech was done in a great manner that suggested to the audience not that we are better, but that we are equal.