Oratory O I Have a Dream
381
Have a Dream
11
Martin Luther King, Jr.
August 26, 1963
Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968) was an ordained minister, a leader in the civil rights move-
ment during the 1950s and 1960s, and the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. He is best
remembered for his philosophy of non-violence while resisting all forms of racial injustice. In
keynote address, "I Have a Dream," from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial (commemorating
his August, 1963, speech during the poor people's "March on Washington," he delivered his
the one-hundred-year anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation). In his address, he in-
was later assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 4, 1968.
I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest
demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.
Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand
today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a
great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the
fames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of
their captivity.
But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years
later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and
the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely
island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred
years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and
finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to dramatize
a shameful condition.
In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects
of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration
of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was
to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white
men, would be guaranteed the "unalienable Rights” of “Life, Liberty and the pursuit
of Happiness.” It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory
note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred
obligation, America has
given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come
back marked "insufficient funds."
But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe
that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And
So, we've come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches
of freedom and the security of justice.
We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency
of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquil-
izing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy.
382
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the
110
IC
Expanding the Aro: From Analysis to Argument
Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit
path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial
injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality
for all of God's children.
It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This
sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is
an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end,
but a beginning. And those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and
will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as
usual. And there will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is
granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the
foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.
But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm
threshold which leads into the palace of justice: In the process of gaining our rightful
place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst
for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever
conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow
our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again, we must
rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.
The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must
not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evi-
denced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied
up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably
bound to our freedom.
We cannot walk alone.
And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead.
We cannot turn back.
There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you
be satisfied?” We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the
unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our
bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the
highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the negro's
basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied
as long as our children are stripped of their self-hood and robbed of their dignity
by signs stating: "For Whites Only." We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in
Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which
to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until "justice rolls
down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream."
I am not unmindful that some of
you have come here out of
great
trials and
tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. And some of you
have come from areas where your quest-quest for freedom left you battered by the
storms of persecution and staggered
by the winds of police brutality. You have been
the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned
383
Oratory 0 I Have a Dream
lit
al
is
is
ad
is
brotherhood
St
W
st
ed
suffering is redemptive. Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South
Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos
of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this
situation can and will be changed.
Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.
And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have
a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning
of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves
and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of
I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with
the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression will be transformed into
an oasis of freedom and justice.
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where
they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
I have a dream today!
I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its
governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullifica-
tion"-one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able
to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.
I have a dream today!
I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and
mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked
places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all
flesh shall see it together."
This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with.
With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone
of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our
nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to
work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand
up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.
And this will be the day-this will be the day when all of God's children will be
able to sing with new meaning:
My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.
Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride,
From every mountainside, let freedom ring!
And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.
And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.
Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.
Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania.
Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado.
Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.
U
e
T
e
3
d
y
1
1
384
Expanding the Are: From Analysis to Argument
But not only that:
Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.
Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.
Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.
From every mountainside, let freedom ring.
from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able
And when this happens, and when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring
to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and
Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words
of the old Negro spiritual:
Free at last! Free at last!
Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!
Topics for Writing and Discussion
1. What metaphors does King use to propel his speech/purpose? Are they effective?
Discuss with your group and the class.
2. Does King ever seem threatening? How/Where does he appear to warn the white
community while attempting to appease the black community? Does he seem to
warn his brethern as well? Write an essay discussing this part of King's speech.
3. How does King invigorate and encourage his audience? What appeals does he
use? Discuss with your group and the class.
Grading Rubric for Rhetorical Analysis
Below Expectations
1-9 Points
Unacceptable
O Points
Content
Exceeds Expectations Proficient
Adequate
20-25 Points
15-19 Points
10-14 Points
The essay provides The essay provides The essay provides
clear examples of the clear examples of the examples of the three
three rhetorical
three rhetorical rhetorical strategies.
strategies. Each body strategies. Each body Each body paragraph
paragraph provides paragraph provides provides TWO pieces
TWO relevant pieces TWO relevant pieces of textual evidence
of textual evidence to of textual evidence to that mostly supports
support the thesis and
support the thesis and the thesis and the topic
the topic sentence. The the topic sentence. The sentence. The student
student supports each student supports each supports each piece of
piece of textual
piece of textual textual evidence with
evidence with strong, evidence with relevant evidence that lacks
relevant evidence that evidence that mostly somewhat in
clearly demonstrates demonstrates its demonstrating its
its effectiveness. effectiveness.
effectiveness.
The essay provides
examples of the three
rhetorical strategies.
The body paragraphs
lack relevant textual
evidence and
supporting details
The student doesn't
appear to understand
the scope of the
assignment.
Or Not enough
information to evaluate.
and/or
The textual evidence
and details are vague
or lack in showing
relevance. Does not
examine rhetorical
devices. Might be
significantly below the
minimum word count.
and/or
The essay
significantly fails to
meet the word
requirement
N/A
15 Points
25 Points
5 Points
MLA Format
Correct MLA Format MLA Format with
one or two minor
errors
MLA Format with
incorrectly formatted
or missing header,
incorrect spacing,
incorrect font/font
size, incorrectly
formatted Works Cited
page, incorrect in-text
documentation
0 Points
MLA format not
followed. Missing
parenthetical
documentation and/or
missing Works Cited
page.
This can result in the entire
paper being marked NOT
GRADEABLE.
Or Not enough
information to evaluate.
382
Expanding the Arc: From Analysis to Argument
Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit
path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial
injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality
for all of God's children.
It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This
sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is
an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end,
but a beginning. And those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and
will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as
usual. And there will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is
granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the
foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.
But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm
threshold which leads into the palace of justice: In the process of gaining our rightful
place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst
for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever
conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow
our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again, we must
rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.
The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must
not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evi-
denced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied
up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably
bound to our freedom.
We cannot walk alone.
And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead.
We cannot turn back.
There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you
be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the
unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our
bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the
highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the negro's
basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied
as long as our children are stripped of their self-hood and robbed of their dignity
by signs stating: "For Whites Only." We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in
Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which
to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until "justice rolls
down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream."
I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and
tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. And some of you
have come from areas where your quest-quest for freedom left you battered by the
storms of persecution and staggered
by the winds of police brutality. You have been
the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned
Oratory I Have a Dream
383
suffering is redemptive. Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South
Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos
of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.
Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends
a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning
of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves
and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of
brotherhood
I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with
the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into
an oasis of freedom and justice.
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where
they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
I have a dream today!
I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its
governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullifica-
tion"-one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able
to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.
I have a dream today!
I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and
mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked
places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all
fesh shall see it together."
This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with.
With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone
of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our
nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to
work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand
up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day
able to sing with new meaning:
And this will
be the day-this will be the day when all of God's children will be
My country 'tis of tbee, sweet land of liberty of thee I sing
Land were my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride.
From every mountainside, let freedom ring!
And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.
And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.
Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York
Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania.
Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado,
Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.
384
Expanding the Are: From Analysis to Argument
But not only that:
Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.
Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.
Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.
From every mountainside, let freedom ring.
from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able
And when this happens, and when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring
to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and
Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words
of the old Negro spiritual:
Free at last! Free at last!
Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!
Topics for Writing and Discussion
1. What metaphors does King use to propel his speech/purpose? Are they effective?
Discuss with your group and the class.
2. Does King ever seem threatening? How/Where does he appear to warn the white
community while attempting to appease the black community? Does he seem to
warn his brethern as well? Write an essay discussing this part of King's speech.
3. How does King invigorate and encourage his audience? What appeals does he
use? Discuss with your group and the class.
Grading Rubric for Rhetorical Analysis
Below Expectations
1-9 Points
Unacceptable
O Points
Content
Exceeds Expectations Proficient
Adequate
20-25 Points
15-19 Points
10-14 Points
The essay provides The essay provides The essay provides
clear examples of the clear examples of the examples of the three
three rhetorical
three rhetorical rhetorical strategies.
strategies. Each body strategies. Each body Each body paragraph
paragraph provides paragraph provides provides TWO pieces
TWO relevant pieces TWO relevant pieces of textual evidence
of textual evidence to of textual evidence to that mostly supports
support the thesis and
support the thesis and the thesis and the topic
the topic sentence. The the topic sentence. The sentence. The student
student supports each student supports each supports each piece of
piece of textual
piece of textual textual evidence with
evidence with strong, evidence with relevant evidence that lacks
relevant evidence that evidence that mostly somewhat in
clearly demonstrates demonstrates its demonstrating its
its effectiveness. effectiveness.
effectiveness.
The essay provides
examples of the three
rhetorical strategies.
The body paragraphs
lack relevant textual
evidence and
supporting details
The student doesn't
appear to understand
the scope of the
assignment.
Or Not enough
information to evaluate.
and/or
The textual evidence
and details are vague
or lack in showing
relevance. Does not
examine rhetorical
devices. Might be
significantly below the
minimum word count.
and/or
The essay
significantly fails to
meet the word
requirement
N/A
15 Points
25 Points
5 Points
MLA Format
Correct MLA Format MLA Format with
one or two minor
errors
MLA Format with
incorrectly formatted
or missing header,
incorrect spacing,
incorrect font/font
size, incorrectly
formatted Works Cited
page, incorrect in-text
documentation
0 Points
MLA format not
followed. Missing
parenthetical
documentation and/or
missing Works Cited
page.
This can result in the entire
paper being marked NOT
GRADEABLE.
Or Not enough
information to evaluate.
Organization
20-25 Points
15-19 Points
10-14 Points
1-9 Points
0 Points
No logical
organization pattern
evident.
Or Not enough
information to evaluate.
The paper shows a
The paper is
The writing is The paper is
thoughtful, logical, logically and clearly somewhat organized. somewhat
and clear layout of organized. The thesis The writer's points disorganized and
concepts. Transition might not thoroughly are identifiable with difficult to follow. It
sentences are smooth. identify the concepts little confusion of the lacks planning,
The essay includes an to be discussed in the reader. The
and/or it does not
introduction with a body paragraphs, and introduction and/or contain sufficient
clear thesis, three the topic sentences conclusion might be content for
body paragraphs with might need
weak.
organization.
clear topic sentences improvement to
that relate to the better reflect the
thesis, and a
thesis. The essay
concluding paragraph includes an
introduction and
conclusion
25 Points
20 Points
15 Points
10 Points
O Points
Conventions
The essay is
Work has been
proofread. The essay
contains no
grammatical or
spelling errors that
take away from
comprehension
The paper contains The paper includes Numerous mistakes
minor grammatical several grammar and exist in grammar and incomprehensible
errors and/or a few spelling mistakes that spelling, making the because of grammar
spelling mistakes that may slightly impinge essay difficult to and spelling errors.
do not affect the
upon the reader's
read. The essay has
reader's
comprehension. clearly not been
comprehension.
proofread.
Or Not enough
Violates at least one
information to evaluate.
of the starred items
below.
* Never refer to an author or reference by his/her first name only.
* The essay must be 100% free of second person pronouns (forms of "you") or imperative sentences, except in direct quotes.
*Refer to the work being analyzed in present tense only.
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