Given the shootings and attempted assassination of Arizona Congresswoman Gabby Giffords here in Tucson last Saturday, it is a very important time to seriously consider the legacy of assassinated Civil Rights Leader and proponent of non-violence, Martin Luther King Jr. For your homework, first please visit the King Institute Encyclopedia and watch or listen to one of Dr. King's famous speeches. Afterward, in the form of a comment to this posting, identify which speech you listened to and spend about 200 words reflecting on the impact of his oratory style, lyricism, and rhetoric in general. How does it feel for you to absorb it? Add some information about how you learned about the Civil Rights Movement-- at home, in school, through personal research? Who and what did you learn about? Through textbooks, films, literature? Explain.
i listened to the American Dream speech. in this speech MLK's uses an oratory style in which he provides biblical allusions and examples from other nations with similar issues to reveal the universality of the issue. He refernces the curse upon moses and he constantly references God and the church in his speech. Also, this speech definitely has some lyricism to it. Luther uses some rhyme scheme and a varyin and commanding tone that makes the delivery of his speech lyrical and soothing to ones mind and ear. Luther uses a great deal of rhetoric: he describes the conditions in India to help prove his point of that inequality leads to harsh living conditions and in turn discrimination. It feels great absorbing this speech and i feel a strong connection with the people of this era and the passion they had to help all their generations including myself acquire freedom and equality. Luthers motivational words definitely touched my heart and i could feel the passion and urge for change in his voice, transcending over me as i listened. I learned about the civil rights from text books and videos in my high school history classes. i learnt about the prominent figures such as Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, MLK jr., and Federick Douglass. -Rebel Flower
I chose the Martin Luther King Jr. speech "The Drum Major Instinct", partly because I was enticed by the title. Within the first paragraph MLK had already used a plethora of rhetorical devices to strengthen his argument. (i.e. Repetition) King also used religion as a basis for most of the speech; showing even Jesus Christ, the Savior, believes in equality for mankind. As for me, my knowledge of King has come mostly through my years of schooling in history classes. Textbooks have played a critical role to inform me of the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. I cannot say I've seen many movies or television shows on King. I guess I am a bit ignorant for that. -Postwoman
I read "Beyond Vietnam". The title was what attracted me to read the article because I am from Vietnam and I wondered what Martin Luther King Jr has to say about the Vietnam War. In his speech, MLK questions the US government about the issues at hand that affect Americans at the time. If racism and inequalities (liberties) are unsolved issues in the U.S at the time, why bother sending out men to Southeast Asia to guarantee for the Vietnamese's liberties? To Martin Luther King Jr, peace and civil rights go together due to the fact that without civil rights, there won't be no peace. -Mr.T
I read the speech titled "I've been to the Mountaintop". This was his very last speech before he was assassinated the next day. In school we only talked about the Civil Rights Movement during January near MLK day and February; Black History Month. My family told me more about civil rights than my schools did. In school I remember watching the MLK animated movie. In my home in California my grandmother had a bookcase full of African American leaders and influential people. At a young age I began to pick up those books and read about them. I mostly read about Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks. There was a Malcolm X book but I never read it so I do not know much about Malcolm X. I wished I learned more about these people and the civil rights movement in school.
The speech that I chose to listen to was his famous "I Have a Dream" speech. I chose this one because of the impact and message it gave to the nation. Through examples, such as, the Emancipation Dr. King argues that the African- Americans still aren't free. Also that IT WASN'T living up to it's promise. During school I learned a lot of things about Civil Rights and the people who fought for them. The main people would be Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, and Malcolm X. Textbooks allowed you to actually read what these people did and how important their moves were to the Civil Rights Movement. Also I learned a lot through video. Video allowed to see what was actually going on and why it was time for a change. In Dr. King's speech he simply states it's time for equality. He does this with a stern but unthreatening voice. He is only asking that America live up to their songs, snd rulings.... Their promise....
I decided to choose, "Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution," which was recorded on March 31, 1968. At first I must say, his voice was almost solemn and drawn out but still deep and strong. Throughout the entire speech he used the words of God as stated in the Bible, "Behold I make all things new, former things are passed away." "We must all learn to live together as brothers or we will perish together as fools," gave me chills, I knew then the speech would get more interesting. Then he continued and talked about how a man has to sometimes pull his own bootstraps to get things done and then goes to say what about a man that doesn't have bootstraps, no help for him to better himself. He compares part of the U.S. to India, and the poor people he sees all starving and living in poverty. He uses the Dives from the Bible and how he went to Hell and Abraham went to Heaven, and the reason that, that happened. Dives allowed his brother to become invisible, like the poverty stricken people in India or in the ghettos and slums of our America. Then goes into that this is the time for America to address the poverty issue and that "if a man doesn't have a job or an income, he has neither life nor liberty nor the possibility for the pursuit of happiness. He merely exists." Then he goes back to how God and faith ties into freedom and that "the opposition we now face will surely fail." He then of course talks about the Vietnam War, and that violence is not the answer, bringing it back to the U.S. and that America's goal has always been freedom, so stay 'awake.' The speech made me feel empowered, listening to his voice, of caring and concern, of love and faith. He ended this speech with the same quote he began with and thanking John for having a vision of a New Jerusalem, so new hope for a change, a new start. I learned of the civil rights movement in classes, and such. My senior year of High School I learned a little more when we did the play, "Twilight: Los Angeles 1992," which is about Latasha Harkins trial and Rodney King Riots. I learned that the world is a dog eat cat world with a touch of hope.
I chose to listen to Dr. King's famous, “I Have a Dream” speech. His speech soon enough intensified the demand for racial equality in the United States. Working as a Baptist minister and as a civil rights activist, King refers to the Bible and the Gettysburg Address in his speech to add to his points of a future where one is judged not by the color of his or her skin, but by their character. What also makes this speech unforgettable is the raw emotion of its entirety. When using religious statements such as, “Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”, he calls upon people's emotions towards freedom from persecution. Growing up, the month of January was dedicated to the Civil Rights Movement. In elementary school, my class would participate in hour sessions of segregation in order to understand why African Americans were demanding change. Although we understood that racial inequality was frowned upon, I don't think it was until middle and high school did the civil rights movement and the struggle many faced during that time dawned upon us. In high school we studied the civil rights movement through books such as the autobiography of Malcolm X and Roots.
The speech I chose to listen to was “I’ve Been to the Mountain Top”. I picked this speech because I have not heard of it before and the title interested me. In this speech Martin Luther King Jr. starts off with if the Almighty asked him which age he would like to live in what time period would he chose. King does not give just one answer but varies on many time periods he would live in to help others in different stanzas. There is no limit to what King feels like he could accomplish. The mood of the speech is extremely positive and uplifting to the audience. In this speech King encourages his listeners to fight for their freedom but not in a violent way. King encounters the issues of what is going on in his town without fear expressing unity in his speech when he says “Now, what does all of this mean in this great period of history? It means that we've got to stay together. We've got to stay together and maintain unity.” I felt inspired after reading this speech. I learned about the Civil Rights Movement and the famous “I have a Dream” speech while I was in grade school. At my school I learned through text books and documentaries. If it was not for learning about Martin Luther King Jr,’s courage, we might have not had all of the freedom that us Americans have today.
I chose to listen to MLK "I Have a Dream" Speech because it was with this speech I learned about Martin Luther King Jr. I enjoyed this speech because of the tone he uses. He was a great public speaker and knew exactly how to make agree and follow him. His speech makes you want to do something about what was happening with people's right in that time and even today. I've always admired MLK for his ability to speak, and for his courage. He had the courage to say what he thought, and what he knew was being taken away from the people. In elementary school I was taught about the Civil Rights Movement. With that subject I learned about Martin Luther King Jr and Rosa Parks. We were taught what they did to defend their rights and the rights of others. I was taught how they made a difference to our country. I know today that if it wasn't for people like them we wouldn't be where we are today.
listened to Martin Luther King’s speech "Loving Your Enemies". Martin Luther king Jr. talks of as his title shows loving your enemies the "how to" as it came across to me. We must look at ourselves before we can love our enemies; we must discover the good in our enemies in order to love to our enemies, and so on. Throughout the speech you see the lyricism, oratory, and rhetoric he uses in his speech in order to strengthen it, Such as using god as a reference in order to bandwagon his listeners, or examples such as the communism and democracy analogy to improve his speech. His voice clear, calm, and in a persuasive yet comforting tone helps his speech ten-fold. As for his use of lyricism.... the rhythm he uses in his speech close to the end was for me another way of using rhetoric to hook listeners. Now as to how I learned about the civil rights movement was mainly through school. Not really in depth stuff, however we dipped our feet in it, such as films and textbooks in my history classes I have had throughout the years. I didn’t really think I learned much from my former classes to be truthful.
I listened to the "I've been to the Mountaintop" Speech. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's speech started off really slow and at first I was not engaged in what he had to say at all. I was actually questioning his ability to capture and maintain an audience's attention. However, as the speech progressed, so did my interest in what Dr.King Jr had to say. He started to speak faster and with much more force. His use of rhetoric was mainly used to emphasis certain words and get his point across. I liked how he referred to being happy if only he could live in the 2nd half of the 20th century. Dr.King Jr used a lot of biblical allusions/stories such as Moses, Egypt and the holy land to connect to the audience. His words about working together as a group was especially meaningful to me. Before today, I had never listened to a full speech by Dr.Martin Luther King Jr. My school never recognized this day as a holiday nor did they give it any true significance. Hell, our state didn't even recognize this holiday until they were boycotted. The most of Dr.King Jr's words I have ever heard in school were "I have a dream that one day...". The Civil War was also an uncomfortable topic in high school and was never spoken about in detail in Elementary. Being the only person of African American descent in the class, I would always be given side looks in class whenever we were discussing the subject of slavery, the Civil War, the 1968 Freedom marches, or anything dealing with black people really. Class was bogus.
I chose "Eulogy for the Martyred Children". As the smooth static heard so often in antiquated sound recordings began to hum it's soft rumble, the voice of Dr. King sprung forth like a fish springing from a still pond. The first realization that took me was that King had begun to envelope his audience in a blank of the children's innocence. He forced those that his voice fell upon to feel for a loved one or in some cases a complete stranger. Masterfully he wove a web of words that showed that there deaths were not in vain as if to assure them, then he supported it by scripture. I find that to be incredibly intelligent, in the black community the presence of religion runs deep and strong. Therefore by using something that is relative to his audience he then acquires their agreement and attention. Then, if not to explain further, to emphasize he uses metaphor upon metaphor each one relative in it's own right and each one causes the audience to gather a deeper understanding of what King trying to say. Things like, "Death is not a period that ends the great sentence of life, but a comma that punctuates it to more lofty significance.", explanatory. I listen a little more and as the speech comes to it's grand finale, in which he deduces that the children died while expressing the eternal meaning of love, just as Horatio did in Hamlet as Hamlet lay dead. I was deeply moved at the beauty of King's words. Before examining such a word, I had never before knew that King was such a poet in his own right. And just as prominent and vivid as sunshine, his speech ended as a gallant sunset just as the lives of those children. But just like the Sun will continue to rise, their memories shall not be forgotten.
The speech I listened to was “Rediscovering Lost Values.” Martin Luther King Jr. began his oration with a solemn tone as he questioned what the problems in society were. Once he acknowledged the problems, though, his voice grew forceful and continued so as he described what the solutions should be. His tone was not violent, but instead made me feel motivated about making a change in myself. What I enjoyed about his criticism is that it was constructive. He did not simply provide negative feedback, but also pointed out the positive accomplishments in an effort to make us understand that we can thrive as a society. Most importantly, though, were the unbiased opinions he presented. Instead of placing the blame on a particular group of people, Dr. King said all of mankind was at fault for the lack of morality in society. These objective views are something we hardly see in politics nowadays, as left- and right-wingers are constantly blaming the other group for the problems mankind faces. What I realize is that in school I only learned about Martin Luther King Jr. one time a year, and it mostly dealt with his “I Have a Dream” speech and his death. I'm sure most other people did not learn much about Dr. King's style of speech because it is hardly ever imitated in today's society.
I listened to the famous "I Have a Dream, Address at March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom" speech. Never have I known that this speech was actually sixteen minutes long until listening to it today.The reason being is that every time a past teacher played the speech, recording or in a movie, Dr. King always started is speech with "I have a dream..." While i felt like I was taking the cheap way out by selecting this particular speech, I actually came to know more about it. Dr. King had no problem at all speaking in public; he felt like it was his job to speak for the people. How do i know this? I watched a documentary on the late and great Dr. King and his sister said it herself. He had no fear in being an orator because he was an educated man; he knew his stuff. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. quoted some of the great philosophers,such as Gandhi, as well as the Bible, BUT he did it off of the top of his head. Amazing. His lyricism is just off the walls, and I find it quite interesting that the "uneducated" groups of people that followed him seemed to know exactly what King was talking about. King also speaks of how a promissory note that all men would be guaranteed the unalienable rights such as life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, but still as he is speaking, one-hundred years after this promise was made, blacks were still being treated unequally. He says America gave Negroes a bad check, a check marked "insufficient funds." But still King convinces the people not to give up on the "bank of justice" along with convincing them not to drink from "the cup of bitterness and hatred"; not to act with violence, and most importantly, not to settle for less; not to be satisfied until the Negro race got the justice that they deserved.
I listened to the famous "I have a Dream" speech by Martin Luther King. This speech impacted America greatly and it has been studied for decades by many scholars. It is one of the most talked about and famous speeches ever. Martin Luther King uses many different tactics to reach his audience. The most obvious one being repetition. He starts many sentences with various repetead powerful phrases, for example: “One hundred years later” and “I have a dream”. This causes the audience to get riled up and adds to the impact the speech has. This speech is special because it reached many people and it was very passionate. He also biblical references. I learned about the Civil Rights movement mostly at school. I learned about it in my history classes in high school. Through research, due to homework assignments, I learned about different leaders and people that helped the Civil Rights movement. People like Rosa Parks and Malcolm X.
The speech I decided to listen to was "I Have A Dream" by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. because it is by far his best known speech. He uses rhetoric to get his point across that African Americans did not have the same rights as everyone else. His point in the speech was that one day, he hoped that everyone of every race, ethnicity and gender would be able to live together in peace and harmony. Repetition was a major tactic he used to get his point across to his audience: "I have a dream..." was how he started each new sentence or point. I really like his style of how he gets his point across because it flows very well together. As a child, we learned about Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights movement usually around Martin Luther King Jr. Day. We would read books, make projects, watch movies and just talk about what the Civil Rights movement was all about. We would talk about people such as Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr. I have learned about the Civil Rights movement throughout my entire academic career and continue to do so today.
I listened to the Address to the first Montgomery Improvement Association. I have never heard this speech before, and it is amazing to witness the speeches he was capable of giving prior to the "I Have A Dream" speech. He has so much influence and power within his voice, that it is difficult to comprehend how some people were not interested in what he had to say. His words flowed from his lips like poetry. His style is smooth and influential yet aggressive to bring about the realization that this is a crucial subject. I love the fact that he stressed non violence. After all he had been through, he would not stray away from his faith. He would not deviate from the Word and retaliate with violence. Absorbing these inspirational words makes me feel for him. It makes me want to help in any way I can. My favorite quote from the speech was when MLK Jr. stated, "There comes a time when people get tired of being pushed out of the glittering sunlight of life's July and left standing amid the piercing chill of an alpine November." This metaphor is phenomenal.It portrays exactly what black people were going through at the time. I learned a fair amount concerning the Civil Rights Movement throughout my high school years. I also conducted some of my own research on specific topics I wanted to know more about. I have to say the most shocking story I learned about was Emmitt Till's story. The fact that a young boy was killed over the words "hey baby" is revolting. It's sad that people had that kind of hatred in their hearts.
The speech I listened to was the "Remaining Awake through a Great Revolution." This speech was given in the form of a sermon. His tone is very serious and almost to the point of being mono tone. The tone he uses in the speech is good for getting his point across. his tone picks up as the sermon goes through. He Express the idea behind the story of Rip Van Winkle which is as said by him sleeping through a revolution. He puts a lot of emphasis when he says "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness." I like the "We Shall Overcome" part of the speech and i liked the sermon set-up of the speech
I read “loving your enemies”. In this passage Martin Luther King preaches Jesus’s words to keep your enemies close. I chose this passage because the title seemed to relate to reality. The thing that caught my attention the most was when MLK said “Jesus wasn’t playing” it just makes me think like he wanted people to even love those who turned their back on you. People have so many different reasons for not liking you even the smallest thing you do there will most likely be a person out there who does not like it and he explains that no matter what there will be someone who dislikes you but you have to try to stay being yourself. He is not trying to make you like everyone because that will not be possible but try to not let the others who dislike you affect you of being who you are. I really enjoyed this passage because it shows me that no matter what people may dislike and I may dislike others and that is ok but we do have to try to not dislike others for the way they are but try to like them for who they are. -Jay C
The speech I listened to was the Eulogy for the Martyred Children, which was a speech given at the funeral service of three children who were killed in a bombing. His oratory is distinguishable not only from his choice of colorful vocabulary, but he speaks slowly, with meaning behind every word that flows from his mouth. He directs his speeches to a particular audience, which attempts to persuade a certain following not to take action but to follow his words and continue to have faith. It is overwhelming at times to absorb the words from his speeches because they are so powerful and contain so much meaning. It makes me realize have other races overlook such a movement that meant a great thing to a group of people. I learned about the Civil Rights Movement mostly from my studies and textbooks in my earlier education. For example, in high school I was assigned various readings relevant to African American studies that included none other than Dr. King. I learned Dr. King, Malcom X, Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, etc. Most of my African American studies came from textbooks and literature, as well as a rhetoric course which I recited various speeches. -Eddie C
I chose to listen to "I Have a Dream" - by Martin Luther King Jr., I chose this not only because its one of his most recognized speeches but because its one of my personal favorites. MLK spoke with such power and persuasion, that his passion for the cause comes across his words with ease. It was easy for people to trust him and agree with what he was saying. In this studied speech, he also uses repetition as one of his techniques to win over the crowd's attention. What I like the most about this speech is that he emphasized on equality, liberty, and justice for all. I first learned about MLK in school, during this week and the ones that followed, we learned about the Civil Rights movement, and the many people that influenced this event, that all consequently lead to our freedom and tranquility. This speech has always touched my heart, because I can only imagine the unfair treatment that people were put through due to discrimination. It is evident, that in the past years this speech was also very influential, for if it had not been, we probably wouldn't have many of the rights we have today.
I listened to the "I Have a Dream" speech. In this speech Martin Luther King, Jr. talks to the African American people about dreams he had for the colored and the white people to get along. While he is giving his speech he repeats constantly the frase "I have a dream... ", I believe that he did this so that the african american would catch and the message would stick with them. When I listened to the speech it made me feel like I was part of the crowd because of my skin color, even though my skin is not that dark but it made me think that if it weren't for Martin Luther King there the times of racism would have stayed the same. In know a days we still see some of racism but not so much as before. Martin Luther King tried everything in his power to change the times he lived in because he wanted something better the only thing that was an obstacle was that since the white people thought that they were superior to the colored people the job of changing the world was more hard to accomplish. Even thought it was hard he never gave up and to that we now stand with more freedom and equality. -Brenda Leon
The Martin Luther King Jr. Speech that i heard was "The American Dream". In this speech you could understand that Martin LUther King is talking that everyone is equal. It does not matter the color of your skin, we wear all created equal. Martin LUther King was really trying to have some humor in his speech. He believes that everyone should have the same opportunities that a white man would have. He saids that we should not be evaluated by the color of skin but by our soul. King also believes that they should take action and not wait any longer because the more people wait the more minorities will be held back. King wants to take action to all parts of the government so they could end all of the prejudice from people. King does not want to use any violence. He believes that you should not fight back even if other people do you should just take it so they could get an idea. In school i learned some stuff about the civil rights movement. Mostly about Martin Luther King who was one of the biggest people involved in the whole movement. I also learned even after King was killed there was still some issues between whites and blacks. From alot of pesonal research and watching tv we could see that everything that is happening now wouldn't of happened if it was not for King. Most important of all Obama probably would have not want the election. -Jesus Ramirez
The piece I listened to was "I Have a Dream". Slavery, racism, and hatred against colored people was probably one of the most controversial and painful memories that are drawn form the past. Martin Luther King, a man who with his words made a difference bringing the emancipation proclamation. This brought somehow for those who were victimized even though it did not last long. On this speech Martin mentions that for several centuries colored people were still being hurt not only racially but physically as well. Until someone spoke up in the defense of the victims. Martin Luther King spoke out loud "I have a dream". His dream, his desire for helping them and speaking for them, provoked an amazing difference that spread through out the entire nation of the United States. Every colored person supported King with his leadership on fighting for freedom. Martin Luther King was no longer asking "How long must they suffer more", but he was now declaring with his dream that colored people will gain equal rights. He expressed no hatred against white people, instead he desired for both black and white people to have equal rights and be treated the same declaring "Freedom for All". -Edwin Leon
I chose to read/listen to Martin Luther King Jr.'s "The American Dream" speech for several reasons; over the course of my life I have heard various MLK speeches and although I had learned from the brutal situations civil rights activists went through, I doubt if I had ever throughly analyzed a speech delivered by this great man, I strongly agree with his words of equality, and the style in which he writes so profoundly.
Throughout the speech MLK uses various techniques in his writings to appeal to mostly all, if not, all senses; subsequently adding a strong significance to the audience. When he speaks of India and its citizens he depicts their horrific living situations to paint a picture in the reader's/listener's mind. He also uses a rhyme scheme in a few passages which make his speech so much easier to hear and grasp tho the information. His use of quotes from Scripture, The Declaration of Independence, etc. to support his argument and makes his words that much more effective.
His words are very well written and undoubtedly leave the reader/listener yearning for equality not only in the United States but all over the world as well.
Martian Luther King Jr.'s speech titled "Paul's Letter to American Christians" is the speaker's attempt to end segregation by using biblical allusions and making them appeal to ethos.
King's speech uses biblical allusions to appeal to ethos and encourage his audience to reject segregation. He opens this speech with a somewhat poor justification for the message of his letter by saying "May I hasten to say that if in presenting this letter the contents sound strangely Kingian instead of Paulinian, attribute it to my lack of complete objectivity rather than Paul's lack of clarity." From here, Martin Luther King Jr. proceeds to take on the character of the Apostle Paul. The fact that he would put on the psyche of the Apostle Paul, writer of over half of the new testament raises the ethical appeal to his message. In order to remain in character as the Apostle Paul, the king writes this speech in the same form that Paul writes his letters in the Bible. "Paul" greets the Americans, acknowledges positive new things in their environment and from there edifies them with love. This is seen when King admires the traveling technologies America has that Paul didn't and then when he ends up cautioning Americans to not be so materialistic. To back this up, he uses scripture and quotes Jesus when he says "What profits a man to gain the world but loose his soul?" Building his letter like this helps because when he addresses segregation, he has already worked to convince the audience that he is Paul because he has used Paul's distinct form and addressed an issue that Paul would be concerned about since the principal was mentioned in the Bible. When speaking about segregation, King initially says a lot more negative things about this idea which has more effect at this point in the speech. It is until much later compared to the other parts of the text that he mentions a verse dealing with this. He is able to do this effectively because he appeals to the audience's ethos so well.
In elementary school, around this holiday there were always an activity or session of time dedicated to discussing what the Civil Rights movement meant and was. As soon as high school hit, however less time was spent on discussing what holidays meant. Since classes are divided for subject the only class that seems fitting to talk about the Civil Rights Movement was English and my English teacher said profound things about humanity that dealt with a certain event.
I chose the all famous "I Have A Dream" speech. Back in school teachers could not stress this topic out enough. How he and several others changed the world. It was common in middle school to hear about the works of Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and Malcolm X. There were always videos and there were even cartoons making shows that had to deal with the Civil Rights movement. Also, researching a bit into it, I had learned that he wasn't the person who chose to use violence unlike Malcolm X. He was the person who though violence wouldn't solve anything and resolved everything without it. All he wanted was for everyone to be equal. Coming to America shouldn't be by force and with the hatred, but to live the American Dream. America has promised freedom, yet slavery, hatred, and the discrimination is not freedom. He continued preaching until his last breath. It wasn't until after he had been killed that everything was starting to resolve and become equal.. --Ira
I listened to the historical speech "I Have a Dream, Address at March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom" delivered on the 28th of August 1963 by Martin Luther King Jr. This speech changed the views of many people in the United States of America of how man kind should be treated. King was trying to get his point across of how people, no matter of what race or gender, should be treated equally. He emphasized on how the "negro" community should be able to do everything equal to what the whites can do. King uses the repetition of the phrases "I have a dream" and "let freedom ring" to rise up the hopes of his audience and convince them to help him and the rest of the community on his march on Washington. This revolutionary speech helped the cause of making equal rights for all people of the world, but it emphasized on African Americans. I learned of King throughout grade school, especially in middle school. During high school there was some research conducted every year until my Junior year about his revolutionary speech.I learned about how African Americans weren't able to sit in the same bus as whites, they weren't allowed to drink out of the same water fountain and they weren't allowed to go to the same school. Most of what I learned about the civil rights movement was through research done through school while listening and watching some of his most widely known speeches. - The Green Hornet
There was an episode that occurred on my first weekend in Phoenix. My family and I were staying at my uncle's house, until my mother saved up enough money to get us our own place to stay and he had these neighbors. The neighbors seemed to be fine with us being there, they even helped us move some of our heavy baggage into our temporary home...but when the weekend came, things turned around quickly and unexpectedly. The neighbor, a Caucasian male in his mid 30s, decided to throw a party that we weren't told about, so when the music got too loud for my uncle to cope with, he and my step father knocked on the neighbors door and asked him to turn the music down a little bit and instead of them getting a simple answer, the owner opened the door and said: "what in the hell are you porch monkeys doing on my porch?" I can't say what happened next, just know that it was not a pretty sight to see
I chose to listen to Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream, Address at March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.” This historical speech was given on August 28, 1963 at the Lincoln Memorial. The purpose of this speech was to expose the harsh reality of racism and discrimination that was abundant during this time in America, and as a result, demand justice and equality to all human beings. In his address, Dr. King references The United States Constitution, The Declaration of Independence, and the Bible. In order to captivate his audience, he uses his powerful oratory to get his message across with the use of repetition. For example, Martin Luther King repeats the phrase “Let freedom ring,” “I have a dream,” and “Free at last.” He also pauses between sentences and phrases as if to make sure his words are being absorbed into the minds and hearts of his listeners. This historical speech has changed the world we live in today because the change it has brought. During school, I can recall learning about Dr. Martin Luther King in elementary and then expanding more on his contribution to the Civil Rights Movement in middle school. We learned about MLK and the Civil Rights Movement through documentaries, literature, and listening to speeches.
I chose the speech "The American Dream" by MLK in Atlanta, GA on July 4 1965. This speech I've heard before when I was in high school, the first couple lines of the speech has caught my attention ever since. Dr. King said, "America is essentially a dream" ,in the speech he uses this a warrant that what America has today they had to fight hard for, that this is a dream for all men of America, not just white men. He uses references from the Declaration of Independence saying that all men are created equal. MLK uses what the founding fathers has said before to make his speech more compelling and argues why it is necessary for all men to be equal. MLK also uses repetition in his speech to get the point across to the audience, he says, "It doesn’t say "some men," it says "all men." It doesn’t say "all white men," it says "all men," which includes black men. It does not say "all Gentiles," it says "all men," which includes Jews. It doesn’t say "all Protestants," it says "all men," which includes Catholics. It doesn’t even say "all theists and believers," it says "all men," which includes humanists and agnostics". This clearly will get it the point to the audience that his reasoning for equality are extremely simple that the founding father said "all men", never did they ever specify just "white men".
Throughout high school I learned about MLK, Malcom X as the center of the civil rights movement that pushed for equality amongst all men in America. That these men devoted their lives so that generations after them can enjoy the land of freedom and power. What people enjoy today, these man fought for in all they have. We should always respect and thankful that these men were born in such a chaotic time to deliver what we enjoy today as equality.
I chose to listen to the "I Have a Dream" speech because it is one of the most phenomenal speeches of all time. This speech is extremely important to me because Martin Luther King Jr. first said this speech in Detroit, Michigan, (which is where I'm from). Even though it became most popular when said at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. My grandmother went to the speech and she always referenced it. I never actually read the whole speech until now. One of phrases that really caught my attention was "I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream." This just showed me how committed Martin Luther King Jr. was to fulfilling his dream. Despite the struggling period of freedom and civil rights. This is a lesson that teaches everyone that if you have a goal or a dream that you want to achieve the solution isn't to give up you must continue to strive for to you desire. I think people in general seem to give up on dreams when it doesn't seem to immediately happen because I know it tend to do this on a regular basis. Martin Luther King Jr. never stopped believing in his dream and eventually it was achieved.
I chose to listen to "I Have a Dream" because i haven't heard it since i was in middle school. I remember listening to it when I was younger and i was a little bit embarrassed because being black in a pretty much all white school...it was kind of awkward to learn about racism in my class. Back then Dr.King's speech did not mean much to me but now its one of the most powerful things to read or listen to. Not only does this speech send a brave and inspiring message. It showcases Martin Luther Kings intelligence. He uses rhetoric, allusions, and demonstrates amazing word choice and organization. My reaction to his speech this time around i had more feeling. His speech truly means something to me and it speaks to life today. I do not feel as though we live in a racist filled society, I feel that we except each other but do not understand each other. His speech inspired me to go that next step by not just excepting other races but stopping to get to know them and learn about their culture and what about them that makes them different or similar besides that they look like.
injustices towards African American that had been existed since the country was established. With almost 200,000 people standing before Martin Luther, he had to appeal to two very different groups of audiences, blacks and the activists. Because his audience came from completely different environments, he emphasized the one goal that unified all the audience: “to make justice” (Jr. King). In his speech, he repeated a phrase “I have a dream” to remind everyone why they were listening to him and what they were supposed to do for a better future. In order to persuade audience from different classes, he mainly focused on one thing that brought them altogether. Not only he does so to influence the audience but also he used trivial techniques throughout the speech. He paused longer than a normal person speaks when there was a pause or a period to let the audience think through what he just had said. Another think he did is to use monotone to reveal how consistent he is. Then towards the end he brought his pitch to a higher note showing the audience how important the last part of his speech is. I was impacted by this speech as I was standing with 200,000 people in the sun because the recent horrible incident that happened in Tucson 2 weeks ago. I was losing faith in humanity however this speech makes me realize why we are here and what we are supposed to build a better humanity. I never learned about Civil Rights Movement in U.S.A until my junior year of high school because I went to school in South Korea until 8th grade. I vaguely learned about history of slavery in United States because Korean education mostly focused on how slavery started under the colonialism. -Mihwa
I chose to listen to "Martin Luther King Jr's Legacy", why I chose it is not only because he gives out his speech but also because it gives his historical background as well. For example he was born as Michael King Jr. which he changed to Martin. He grew up in the south completely full of segregation. "Blacks" and "whites" went to different segregated schools. When he turned a young baptist minister, he used his skill for public speaking to take on segregation. Slowly, his word spread out and many were now on his side. The speeches given out were very influential especially to those who had experience the most discrimination. Without his hard work to give his people rights, the world that we now know wouldn't be the same.
The speech that I have chosen to listen to and write is the “Acceptance Speech at Noble Prize Ceremony”. Doctor Kings oratory style, is very smooth easy to understand in a formal way. The way he is saying his speech keeping his voice at a constants volume sounds as if he is saying a really long prayer. The common lyricism used by Martin Luther King is repetition, he shows by reusing the word “I am mindful”, “I refuse to” and “I believe”. With the constant tone of his voice and the reusing of these words persuades the reader to better understand the meaning of the speech and what doctor King is standing up for. Hearing the speech and reading along at the same time, helps absorb much more than just doing one. Doing this I absorbed the speech very well, I came to a sense that Martin Luther King Jr from the looks of it was a hundred percent right all the way. He knew those hard times for humanity, but he also knew that, “Sooner or later, all the peoples of the world will have to discover a way to live together in peace”. Which is what most of the world is doing right now. My experience learning about the “Civil Rights Movement” was more at school than anything else. At home my parents did tell me stories and events that have happen be for my time such as riots or marches. I learned about Gandhi, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr , Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Black Panthers etc. these people all took apart in the “Civil Rights Movement” one way or another. I ganged this knowledge through various textbooks in school, films “Malcolm X” and literature of letters, speech, poems etc.
-Angel I printed my paper the first time because I couldn't post my comment.
Listening and reading through Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech of "The American Dream". A speech that brings emotion of facts that go on within America. The treatment that is to occur and to get rid of what occurs and should as in the constitution. Martin Luther King Jr.'s expresses himself out in a way that every one should comprehend and agree. He takes evidence of how everyone should be equal no matter what. Understanding law in America as said, which means no matter what you are, how you are, who you are, we are all to be equal. Martin Luther King Jr. was passionate when preaching for equality. In eighth grade I recall learning and previewing speeches that he composed. I thought of him as a strong and brave man that stood for his rights. He not only stood up for his rights, but helping everyone stand up for they to had meaning of equality in America. I learned of many other people that were also strong and brave and didn't care to get their equality. I read and learned of them and looked upon them, for they were standing up for their rights. The rights that everyone, is and was allowed to have here in America.
31 March 1968 “Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution" by Martian Luther King Jr.
I have heard and read many of MLK's speeches. This one, new to me, has touched me and ways that I can not describe. And although this speech was written some forty three years ago. I felt as if it was right now. Most of everything in his speech pointed to what America is today. Although racism isn't as it was forty three years ago, there is still racism. Even if it's not targeted towards the blacks. But I am considering other nationalities as well. Yes, blacks are still in poverty, but also whites. Yes, there is no more segregation. But we are trying to keep non-American people out of America by building barriers at the border. The government is still keeping money from the poverty stricken people, who can't get a job or can barely feed their children at night. Millions of Americans are still sleeping on the street bagging for money. Health Insurance is still impossible to come by and the poverty stricken people still can't see the doctors they need to see. It's been forty three years since Dr. King spoke the speech and American has hardly change a the Great America.
I learned about the civil rights movement through my family and through school. Starting from elementary school to high school, also through personal experience. While I was in grade school I didn't quiet fully understand the movements and to me, I felt that my teachers didn't put out the right facts out for me to know. And now I feel that I am learning more about the civil rights movement than ever. -Lacree Freesia
I listened to the "18 September 1963 - Eulogy for the Martyred Children" Speech.
I want to start off by saying that it must have been a very sad thing for the parents of those little girls, that died, to be buried. From the tone of Dr. Martin's voice i could tell that the girls' death must have been a very tragic and painful one. I felt really bad for those girls that lost their lives tragically in the bombing. Just from the tone of Dr. Martins passion filled voice, i could tell the anger and rage that he had going on, especially towards the end when he said, "nor did they die discussing and listening to filthy jokes". At that point i found my self picturing those young girls, the innocence in their face and the instant pain that they felt. And at that point i had chills run down my body.
I am not really deep into all the political and civil rights movement topic. Neither have i really learned a lot about civil right movement, but i definitely know a little about it. I know for a fact that the likes of Dr. Martin Luther King and Jesse Jackson were civil right activists and they fought their way to black freedom, equality and justice. -FresshDWizzy
I listened to the "4 July 1965- The American Dream" Speech.
At first listen, this speech could be perceived as deeply complex. However, there are very simple topics within the speech. In the speech you will find ideas such as how America itself is a dream. How it claims that "All men are created equal" yet have deep ugly roots of slavery and segregation. Dr. King also suggests how we as people "need to learn to live together as brothers or die together as fools", and how we "need to get rid of the notion of superior and inferior races". He urges people to see that those ideas are important and to truly acquire the American Dream Americans have to make a positive change. I know that we have come such a long way, however we still have miles to go considering the way our government is run and, resulting from that, how the american people live. I know a moderate amount about The Civil Rights Movement but I would like to learn more. I've seen films about it, I've been to the King Center in Atlanta, Georgia and I've also read readings on it. To me, it is one of the most interesting things to learn about. -B.O.M.B
For this assignment I decided to listen to the ever famous "I Have A Dream," speech by Dr. Martain Luther King Jr. While listening to his speech i was taken by the almost poetic nature of his oration. He speaks with an almost melodic pattern and captivates his audience through it. His speech made many refences to the constituion and the fore fathers of our nation. When he reffered to the Constitution he used a metaphor of a check given to the poeple of black race. Say that when they drafted the constituion they meant that all American citizens white and black were guarenteed what are the most basic rights that all of humanity are entitled to. Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happieness, he then said that over a hundred years later the black poeple of our nation were still not equalls under this document. Now while listening to this powerfull speech i could not help but be taken by it and remeber all of the lessons of the civil rights movement through out my shcool career. His speech makde me think of how much has changed in what seems like so little time. It is all because of poeple like Him that made our country the land of equallity that it is today. I mean yes there are still poeple that are racist, but the number is exponentially dwindling.Through his actions and his words one day and one day very soon racism will be completly exsponged. H2A
i listened to the American Dream speech.
ReplyDeletein this speech MLK's uses an oratory style in which he provides biblical allusions and examples from other nations with similar issues to reveal the universality of the issue. He refernces the curse upon moses and he constantly references God and the church in his speech. Also, this speech definitely has some lyricism to it. Luther uses some rhyme scheme and a varyin and commanding tone that makes the delivery of his speech lyrical and soothing to ones mind and ear. Luther uses a great deal of rhetoric: he describes the conditions in India to help prove his point of that inequality leads to harsh living conditions and in turn discrimination. It feels great absorbing this speech and i feel a strong connection with the people of this era and the passion they had to help all their generations including myself acquire freedom and equality. Luthers motivational words definitely touched my heart and i could feel the passion and urge for change in his voice, transcending over me as i listened. I learned about the civil rights from text books and videos in my high school history classes. i learnt about the prominent figures such as Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, MLK jr., and Federick Douglass.
-Rebel Flower
I chose the Martin Luther King Jr. speech "The Drum Major Instinct", partly because I was enticed by the title. Within the first paragraph MLK had already used a plethora of rhetorical devices to strengthen his argument. (i.e. Repetition) King also used religion as a basis for most of the speech; showing even Jesus Christ, the Savior, believes in equality for mankind.
ReplyDeleteAs for me, my knowledge of King has come mostly through my years of schooling in history classes. Textbooks have played a critical role to inform me of the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. I cannot say I've seen many movies or television shows on King. I guess I am a bit ignorant for that.
-Postwoman
I read "Beyond Vietnam". The title was what attracted me to read the article because I am from Vietnam and I wondered what Martin Luther King Jr has to say about the Vietnam War. In his speech, MLK questions the US government about the issues at hand that affect Americans at the time. If racism and inequalities (liberties) are unsolved issues in the U.S at the time, why bother sending out men to Southeast Asia to guarantee for the Vietnamese's liberties? To Martin Luther King Jr, peace and civil rights go together due to the fact that without civil rights, there won't be no peace.
ReplyDelete-Mr.T
I read the speech titled "I've been to the Mountaintop". This was his very last speech before he was assassinated the next day. In school we only talked about the Civil Rights Movement during January near MLK day and February; Black History Month. My family told me more about civil rights than my schools did. In school I remember watching the MLK animated movie. In my home in California my grandmother had a bookcase full of African American leaders and influential people. At a young age I began to pick up those books and read about them. I mostly read about Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks. There was a Malcolm X book but I never read it so I do not know much about Malcolm X. I wished I learned more about these people and the civil rights movement in school.
ReplyDeleteThe speech that I chose to listen to was his famous "I Have a Dream" speech. I chose this one because of the impact and message it gave to the nation. Through examples, such as, the Emancipation Dr. King argues that the African- Americans still aren't free. Also that IT WASN'T living up to it's promise. During school I learned a lot of things about Civil Rights and the people who fought for them. The main people would be Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, and Malcolm X. Textbooks allowed you to actually read what these people did and how important their moves were to the Civil Rights Movement. Also I learned a lot through video. Video allowed to see what was actually going on and why it was time for a change. In Dr. King's speech he simply states it's time for equality. He does this with a stern but unthreatening voice. He is only asking that America live up to their songs, snd rulings.... Their promise....
ReplyDelete-Michele' Williams
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ReplyDeleteI decided to choose, "Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution," which was recorded on March 31, 1968. At first I must say, his voice was almost solemn and drawn out but still deep and strong. Throughout the entire speech he used the words of God as stated in the Bible, "Behold I make all things new, former things are passed away." "We must all learn to live together as brothers or we will perish together as fools," gave me chills, I knew then the speech would get more interesting. Then he continued and talked about how a man has to sometimes pull his own bootstraps to get things done and then goes to say what about a man that doesn't have bootstraps, no help for him to better himself. He compares part of the U.S. to India, and the poor people he sees all starving and living in poverty. He uses the Dives from the Bible and how he went to Hell and Abraham went to Heaven, and the reason that, that happened. Dives allowed his brother to become invisible, like the poverty stricken people in India or in the ghettos and slums of our America. Then goes into that this is the time for America to address the poverty issue and that "if a man doesn't have a job or an income, he has neither life nor liberty nor the possibility for the pursuit of happiness. He merely exists." Then he goes back to how God and faith ties into freedom and that "the opposition we now face will surely fail." He then of course talks about the Vietnam War, and that violence is not the answer, bringing it back to the U.S. and that America's goal has always been freedom, so stay 'awake.' The speech made me feel empowered, listening to his voice, of caring and concern, of love and faith. He ended this speech with the same quote he began with and thanking John for having a vision of a New Jerusalem, so new hope for a change, a new start. I learned of the civil rights movement in classes, and such. My senior year of High School I learned a little more when we did the play, "Twilight: Los Angeles 1992," which is about Latasha Harkins trial and Rodney King Riots. I learned that the world is a dog eat cat world with a touch of hope.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry this is so long.
-Rachelle Star
I chose to listen to Dr. King's famous, “I Have a Dream” speech. His speech soon enough intensified the demand for racial equality in the United States. Working as a Baptist minister and as a civil rights activist, King refers to the Bible and the Gettysburg Address in his speech to add to his points of a future where one is judged not by the color of his or her skin, but by their character. What also makes this speech unforgettable is the raw emotion of its entirety. When using religious statements such as, “Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”, he calls upon people's emotions towards freedom from persecution. Growing up, the month of January was dedicated to the Civil Rights Movement. In elementary school, my class would participate in hour sessions of segregation in order to understand why African Americans were demanding change. Although we understood that racial inequality was frowned upon, I don't think it was until middle and high school did the civil rights movement and the struggle many faced during that time dawned upon us. In high school we studied the civil rights movement through books such as the autobiography of Malcolm X and Roots.
ReplyDelete- Finders Keepers
The speech I chose to listen to was “I’ve Been to the Mountain Top”. I picked this speech because I have not heard of it before and the title interested me. In this speech Martin Luther King Jr. starts off with if the Almighty asked him which age he would like to live in what time period would he chose. King does not give just one answer but varies on many time periods he would live in to help others in different stanzas. There is no limit to what King feels like he could accomplish. The mood of the speech is extremely positive and uplifting to the audience. In this speech King encourages his listeners to fight for their freedom but not in a violent way. King encounters the issues of what is going on in his town without fear expressing unity in his speech when he says “Now, what does all of this mean in this great period of history? It means that we've got to stay together. We've got to stay together and maintain unity.” I felt inspired after reading this speech. I learned about the Civil Rights Movement and the famous “I have a Dream” speech while I was in grade school. At my school I learned through text books and documentaries. If it was not for learning about Martin Luther King Jr,’s courage, we might have not had all of the freedom that us Americans have today.
ReplyDeleteI chose to listen to MLK "I Have a Dream" Speech because it was with this speech I learned about Martin Luther King Jr. I enjoyed this speech because of the tone he uses. He was a great public speaker and knew exactly how to make agree and follow him. His speech makes you want to do something about what was happening with people's right in that time and even today. I've always admired MLK for his ability to speak, and for his courage. He had the courage to say what he thought, and what he knew was being taken away from the people. In elementary school I was taught about the Civil Rights Movement. With that subject I learned about Martin Luther King Jr and Rosa Parks. We were taught what they did to defend their rights and the rights of others. I was taught how they made a difference to our country. I know today that if it wasn't for people like them we wouldn't be where we are today.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletelistened to Martin Luther King’s speech "Loving Your Enemies". Martin Luther king Jr. talks of as his title shows loving your enemies the "how to" as it came across to me. We must look at ourselves before we can love our enemies; we must discover the good in our enemies in order to love to our enemies, and so on. Throughout the speech you see the lyricism, oratory, and rhetoric he uses in his speech in order to strengthen it, Such as using god as a reference in order to bandwagon his listeners, or examples such as the communism and democracy analogy to improve his speech. His voice clear, calm, and in a persuasive yet comforting tone helps his speech ten-fold. As for his use of lyricism.... the rhythm he uses in his speech close to the end was for me another way of using rhetoric to hook listeners. Now as to how I learned about the civil rights movement was mainly through school. Not really in depth stuff, however we dipped our feet in it, such as films and textbooks in my history classes I have had throughout the years. I didn’t really think I learned much from my former classes to be truthful.
ReplyDeleteI listened to the "I've been to the Mountaintop" Speech. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's speech started off really slow and at first I was not engaged in what he had to say at all. I was actually questioning his ability to capture and maintain an audience's attention. However, as the speech progressed, so did my interest in what Dr.King Jr had to say. He started to speak faster and with much more force. His use of rhetoric was mainly used to emphasis certain words and get his point across. I liked how he referred to being happy if only he could live in the 2nd half of the 20th century. Dr.King Jr used a lot of biblical allusions/stories such as Moses, Egypt and the holy land to connect to the audience. His words about working together as a group was especially meaningful to me. Before today, I had never listened to a full speech by Dr.Martin Luther King Jr. My school never recognized this day as a holiday nor did they give it any true significance. Hell, our state didn't even recognize this holiday until they were boycotted. The most of Dr.King Jr's words I have ever heard in school were "I have a dream that one day...". The Civil War was also an uncomfortable topic in high school and was never spoken about in detail in Elementary. Being the only person of African American descent in the class, I would always be given side looks in class whenever we were discussing the subject of slavery, the Civil War, the 1968 Freedom marches, or anything dealing with black people really. Class was bogus.
ReplyDeleteI chose "Eulogy for the Martyred Children". As the smooth static heard so often in antiquated sound recordings began to hum it's soft rumble, the voice of Dr. King sprung forth like a fish springing from a still pond. The first realization that took me was that King had begun to envelope his audience in a blank of the children's innocence. He forced those that his voice fell upon to feel for a loved one or in some cases a complete stranger. Masterfully he wove a web of words that showed that there deaths were not in vain as if to assure them, then he supported it by scripture. I find that to be incredibly intelligent, in the black community the presence of religion runs deep and strong. Therefore by using something that is relative to his audience he then acquires their agreement and attention. Then, if not to explain further, to emphasize he uses metaphor upon metaphor each one relative in it's own right and each one causes the audience to gather a deeper understanding of what King trying to say. Things like, "Death is not a period that ends the great sentence of life, but a comma that punctuates it to more lofty significance.", explanatory. I listen a little more and as the speech comes to it's grand finale, in which he deduces that the children died while expressing the eternal meaning of love, just as Horatio did in Hamlet as Hamlet lay dead. I was deeply moved at the beauty of King's words. Before examining such a word, I had never before knew that King was such a poet in his own right. And just as prominent and vivid as sunshine, his speech ended as a gallant sunset just as the lives of those children. But just like the Sun will continue to rise, their memories shall not be forgotten.
ReplyDelete-M.J. Clyde
The speech I listened to was “Rediscovering Lost Values.” Martin Luther King Jr. began his oration with a solemn tone as he questioned what the problems in society were. Once he acknowledged the problems, though, his voice grew forceful and continued so as he described what the solutions should be. His tone was not violent, but instead made me feel motivated about making a change in myself. What I enjoyed about his criticism is that it was constructive. He did not simply provide negative feedback, but also pointed out the positive accomplishments in an effort to make us understand that we can thrive as a society. Most importantly, though, were the unbiased opinions he presented. Instead of placing the blame on a particular group of people, Dr. King said all of mankind was at fault for the lack of morality in society. These objective views are something we hardly see in politics nowadays, as left- and right-wingers are constantly blaming the other group for the problems mankind faces. What I realize is that in school I only learned about Martin Luther King Jr. one time a year, and it mostly dealt with his “I Have a Dream” speech and his death. I'm sure most other people did not learn much about Dr. King's style of speech because it is hardly ever imitated in today's society.
ReplyDeleteI listened to the famous "I Have a Dream, Address at March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom" speech. Never have I known that this speech was actually sixteen minutes long until listening to it today.The reason being is that every time a past teacher played the speech, recording or in a movie, Dr. King always started is speech with "I have a dream..." While i felt like I was taking the cheap way out by selecting this particular speech, I actually came to know more about it. Dr. King had no problem at all speaking in public; he felt like it was his job to speak for the people. How do i know this? I watched a documentary on the late and great Dr. King and his sister said it herself. He had no fear in being an orator because he was an educated man; he knew his stuff. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. quoted some of the great philosophers,such as Gandhi, as well as the Bible, BUT he did it off of the top of his head. Amazing. His lyricism is just off the walls, and I find it quite interesting that the "uneducated" groups of people that followed him seemed to know exactly what King was talking about. King also speaks of how a promissory note that all men would be guaranteed the unalienable rights such as life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, but still as he is speaking, one-hundred years after this promise was made, blacks were still being treated unequally. He says America gave Negroes a bad check, a check marked "insufficient funds." But still King convinces the people not to give up on the "bank of justice" along with convincing them not to drink from "the cup of bitterness and hatred"; not to act with violence, and most importantly, not to settle for less; not to be satisfied until the Negro race got the justice that they deserved.
ReplyDeleteI listened to the famous "I have a Dream" speech by Martin Luther King. This speech impacted America greatly and it has been studied for decades by many scholars. It is one of the most talked about and famous speeches ever. Martin Luther King uses many different tactics to reach his audience. The most obvious one being repetition. He starts many sentences with various repetead powerful phrases, for example: “One hundred years later” and “I have a dream”. This causes the audience to get riled up and adds to the impact the speech has. This speech is special because it reached many people and it was very passionate. He also biblical references. I learned about the Civil Rights movement mostly at school. I learned about it in my history classes in high school. Through research, due to homework assignments, I learned about different leaders and people that helped the Civil Rights movement. People like Rosa Parks and Malcolm X.
ReplyDeleteThe speech I decided to listen to was "I Have A Dream" by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. because it is by far his best known speech. He uses rhetoric to get his point across that African Americans did not have the same rights as everyone else. His point in the speech was that one day, he hoped that everyone of every race, ethnicity and gender would be able to live together in peace and harmony. Repetition was a major tactic he used to get his point across to his audience: "I have a dream..." was how he started each new sentence or point. I really like his style of how he gets his point across because it flows very well together. As a child, we learned about Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights movement usually around Martin Luther King Jr. Day. We would read books, make projects, watch movies and just talk about what the Civil Rights movement was all about. We would talk about people such as Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr. I have learned about the Civil Rights movement throughout my entire academic career and continue to do so today.
ReplyDelete-Po
I listened to the Address to the first Montgomery Improvement Association. I have never heard this speech before, and it is amazing to witness the speeches he was capable of giving prior to the "I Have A Dream" speech. He has so much influence and power within his voice, that it is difficult to comprehend how some people were not interested in what he had to say. His words flowed from his lips like poetry. His style is smooth and influential yet aggressive to bring about the realization that this is a crucial subject. I love the fact that he stressed non violence. After all he had been through, he would not stray away from his faith. He would not deviate from the Word and retaliate with violence. Absorbing these inspirational words makes me feel for him. It makes me want to help in any way I can. My favorite quote from the speech was when MLK Jr. stated, "There comes a time when people get tired of being pushed out of the glittering sunlight of life's July and left standing amid the piercing chill of an alpine November." This metaphor is phenomenal.It portrays exactly what black people were going through at the time. I learned a fair amount concerning the Civil Rights Movement throughout my high school years. I also conducted some of my own research on specific topics I wanted to know more about. I have to say the most shocking story I learned about was Emmitt Till's story. The fact that a young boy was killed over the words "hey baby" is revolting. It's sad that people had that kind of hatred in their hearts.
ReplyDelete-Special K
The speech I listened to was the "Remaining Awake through a Great Revolution." This speech was given in the form of a sermon. His tone is very serious and almost to the point of being mono tone. The tone he uses in the speech is good for getting his point across. his tone picks up as the sermon goes through. He Express the idea behind the story of Rip Van Winkle which is as said by him sleeping through a revolution. He puts a lot of emphasis when he says "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness." I like the "We Shall Overcome" part of the speech and i liked the sermon set-up of the speech
ReplyDeleteI read “loving your enemies”. In this passage Martin Luther King preaches Jesus’s words to keep your enemies close. I chose this passage because the title seemed to relate to reality. The thing that caught my attention the most was when MLK said “Jesus wasn’t playing” it just makes me think like he wanted people to even love those who turned their back on you. People have so many different reasons for not liking you even the smallest thing you do there will most likely be a person out there who does not like it and he explains that no matter what there will be someone who dislikes you but you have to try to stay being yourself. He is not trying to make you like everyone because that will not be possible but try to not let the others who dislike you affect you of being who you are. I really enjoyed this passage because it shows me that no matter what people may dislike and I may dislike others and that is ok but we do have to try to not dislike others for the way they are but try to like them for who they are.
ReplyDelete-Jay C
The speech I listened to was the Eulogy for the Martyred Children, which was a speech given at the funeral service of three children who were killed in a bombing. His oratory is distinguishable not only from his choice of colorful vocabulary, but he speaks slowly, with meaning behind every word that flows from his mouth. He directs his speeches to a particular audience, which attempts to persuade a certain following not to take action but to follow his words and continue to have faith. It is overwhelming at times to absorb the words from his speeches because they are so powerful and contain so much meaning. It makes me realize have other races overlook such a movement that meant a great thing to a group of people. I learned about the Civil Rights Movement mostly from my studies and textbooks in my earlier education. For example, in high school I was assigned various readings relevant to African American studies that included none other than Dr. King. I learned Dr. King, Malcom X, Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, etc. Most of my African American studies came from textbooks and literature, as well as a rhetoric course which I recited various speeches.
ReplyDelete-Eddie C
I chose to listen to "I Have a Dream" - by Martin Luther King Jr., I chose this not only because its one of his most recognized speeches but because its one of my personal favorites. MLK spoke with such power and persuasion, that his passion for the cause comes across his words with ease. It was easy for people to trust him and agree with what he was saying. In this studied speech, he also uses repetition as one of his techniques to win over the crowd's attention. What I like the most about this speech is that he emphasized on equality, liberty, and justice for all. I first learned about MLK in school, during this week and the ones that followed, we learned about the Civil Rights movement, and the many people that influenced this event, that all consequently lead to our freedom and tranquility. This speech has always touched my heart, because I can only imagine the unfair treatment that people were put through due to discrimination. It is evident, that in the past years this speech was also very influential, for if it had not been, we probably wouldn't have many of the rights we have today.
ReplyDelete-Grizzly
I listened to the "I Have a Dream" speech. In this speech Martin Luther King, Jr. talks to the African American people about dreams he had for the colored and the white people to get along. While he is giving his speech he repeats constantly the frase "I have a dream... ", I believe that he did this so that the african american would catch and the message would stick with them. When I listened to the speech it made me feel like I was part of the crowd because of my skin color, even though my skin is not that dark but it made me think that if it weren't for Martin Luther King there the times of racism would have stayed the same. In know a days we still see some of racism but not so much as before. Martin Luther King tried everything in his power to change the times he lived in because he wanted something better the only thing that was an obstacle was that since the white people thought that they were superior to the colored people the job of changing the world was more hard to accomplish. Even thought it was hard he never gave up and to that we now stand with more freedom and equality.
ReplyDelete-Brenda Leon
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ReplyDeleteThe Martin Luther King Jr. Speech that i heard was "The American Dream". In this speech you could understand that Martin LUther King is talking that everyone is equal. It does not matter the color of your skin, we wear all created equal. Martin LUther King was really trying to have some humor in his speech. He believes that everyone should have the same opportunities that a white man would have. He saids that we should not be evaluated by the color of skin but by our soul. King also believes that they should take action and not wait any longer because the more people wait the more minorities will be held back. King wants to take action to all parts of the government so they could end all of the prejudice from people. King does not want to use any violence. He believes that you should not fight back even if other people do you should just take it so they could get an idea. In school i learned some stuff about the civil rights movement. Mostly about Martin Luther King who was one of the biggest people involved in the whole movement. I also learned even after King was killed there was still some issues between whites and blacks. From alot of pesonal research and watching tv we could see that everything that is happening now wouldn't of happened if it was not for King. Most important of all Obama probably would have not want the election.
ReplyDelete-Jesus Ramirez
The piece I listened to was "I Have a Dream". Slavery, racism, and hatred against colored people was probably one of the most controversial and painful memories that are drawn form the past. Martin Luther King, a man who with his words made a difference bringing the emancipation proclamation. This brought somehow for those who were victimized even though it did not last long. On this speech Martin mentions that for several centuries colored people were still being hurt not only racially but physically as well. Until someone spoke up in the defense of the victims. Martin Luther King spoke out loud "I have a dream". His dream, his desire for helping them and speaking for them, provoked an amazing difference that spread through out the entire nation of the United States. Every colored person supported King with his leadership on fighting for freedom. Martin Luther King was no longer asking "How long must they suffer more", but he was now declaring with his dream that colored people will gain equal rights. He expressed no hatred against white people, instead he desired for both black and white people to have equal rights and be treated the same declaring "Freedom for All".
ReplyDelete-Edwin Leon
I chose to read/listen to Martin Luther King Jr.'s "The American Dream" speech for several reasons; over the course of my life I have heard various MLK speeches and although I had learned from the brutal situations civil rights activists went through, I doubt if I had ever throughly analyzed a speech delivered by this great man, I strongly agree with his words of equality, and the style in which he writes so profoundly.
ReplyDeleteThroughout the speech MLK uses various techniques in his writings to appeal to mostly all, if not, all senses; subsequently adding a strong significance to the audience. When he speaks of India and its citizens he depicts their horrific living situations to paint a picture in the reader's/listener's mind. He also uses a rhyme scheme in a few passages which make his speech so much easier to hear and grasp tho the information. His use of quotes from Scripture, The Declaration of Independence, etc. to support his argument and makes his words that much more effective.
His words are very well written and undoubtedly leave the reader/listener yearning for equality not only in the United States but all over the world as well.
-Daniel Villa
Martian Luther King Jr.'s speech titled "Paul's Letter to American Christians" is the speaker's attempt to end segregation by using biblical allusions and making them appeal to ethos.
ReplyDeleteKing's speech uses biblical allusions to appeal to ethos and encourage his audience to reject segregation. He opens this speech with a somewhat poor justification for the message of his letter by saying "May I hasten to say that if in presenting this letter the contents sound strangely Kingian instead of Paulinian, attribute it to my lack of complete objectivity rather than Paul's lack of clarity." From here, Martin Luther King Jr. proceeds to take on the character of the Apostle Paul. The fact that he would put on the psyche of the Apostle Paul, writer of over half of the new testament raises the ethical appeal to his message. In order to remain in character as the Apostle Paul, the king writes this speech in the same form that Paul writes his letters in the Bible. "Paul" greets the Americans, acknowledges positive new things in their environment and from there edifies them with love. This is seen when King admires the traveling technologies America has that Paul didn't and then when he ends up cautioning Americans to not be so materialistic. To back this up, he uses scripture and quotes Jesus when he says "What profits a man to gain the world but loose his soul?"
Building his letter like this helps because when he addresses segregation, he has already worked to convince the audience that he is Paul because he has used Paul's distinct form and addressed an issue that Paul would be concerned about since the principal was mentioned in the Bible. When speaking about segregation, King initially says a lot more negative things about this idea which has more effect at this point in the speech. It is until much later compared to the other parts of the text that he mentions a verse dealing with this. He is able to do this effectively because he appeals to the audience's ethos so well.
In elementary school, around this holiday there were always an activity or session of time dedicated to discussing what the Civil Rights movement meant and was. As soon as high school hit, however less time was spent on discussing what holidays meant. Since classes are divided for subject the only class that seems fitting to talk about the Civil Rights Movement was English and my English teacher said profound things about humanity that dealt with a certain event.
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ReplyDeleteI chose the all famous "I Have A Dream" speech. Back in school teachers could not stress this topic out enough. How he and several others changed the world. It was common in middle school to hear about the works of Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and Malcolm X. There were always videos and there were even cartoons making shows that had to deal with the Civil Rights movement. Also, researching a bit into it, I had learned that he wasn't the person who chose to use violence unlike Malcolm X. He was the person who though violence wouldn't solve anything and resolved everything without it. All he wanted was for everyone to be equal. Coming to America shouldn't be by force and with the hatred, but to live the American Dream. America has promised freedom, yet slavery, hatred, and the discrimination is not freedom. He continued preaching until his last breath. It wasn't until after he had been killed that everything was starting to resolve and become equal..
ReplyDelete--Ira
I listened to the historical speech "I Have a Dream, Address at March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom" delivered on the 28th of August 1963 by Martin Luther King Jr. This speech changed the views of many people in the United States of America of how man kind should be treated. King was trying to get his point across of how people, no matter of what race or gender, should be treated equally. He emphasized on how the "negro" community should be able to do everything equal to what the whites can do. King uses the repetition of the phrases "I have a dream" and "let freedom ring" to rise up the hopes of his audience and convince them to help him and the rest of the community on his march on Washington. This revolutionary speech helped the cause of making equal rights for all people of the world, but it emphasized on African Americans. I learned of King throughout grade school, especially in middle school. During high school there was some research conducted every year until my Junior year about his revolutionary speech.I learned about how African Americans weren't able to sit in the same bus as whites, they weren't allowed to drink out of the same water fountain and they weren't allowed to go to the same school. Most of what I learned about the civil rights movement was through research done through school while listening and watching some of his most widely known speeches.
ReplyDelete- The Green Hornet
There was an episode that occurred on my first weekend in Phoenix. My family and I were staying at my uncle's house, until my mother saved up enough money to get us our own place to stay and he had these neighbors. The neighbors seemed to be fine with us being there, they even helped us move some of our heavy baggage into our temporary home...but when the weekend came, things turned around quickly and unexpectedly. The neighbor, a Caucasian male in his mid 30s, decided to throw a party that we weren't told about, so when the music got too loud for my uncle to cope with, he and my step father knocked on the neighbors door and asked him to turn the music down a little bit and instead of them getting a simple answer, the owner opened the door and said: "what in the hell are you porch monkeys doing on my porch?" I can't say what happened next, just know that it was not a pretty sight to see
ReplyDeleteI chose to listen to Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream, Address at March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.” This historical speech was given on August 28, 1963 at the Lincoln Memorial. The purpose of this speech was to expose the harsh reality of racism and discrimination that was abundant during this time in America, and as a result, demand justice and equality to all human beings. In his address, Dr. King references The United States Constitution, The Declaration of Independence, and the Bible. In order to captivate his audience, he uses his powerful oratory to get his message across with the use of repetition. For example, Martin Luther King repeats the phrase “Let freedom ring,” “I have a dream,” and “Free at last.” He also pauses between sentences and phrases as if to make sure his words are being absorbed into the minds and hearts of his listeners. This historical speech has changed the world we live in today because the change it has brought. During school, I can recall learning about Dr. Martin Luther King in elementary and then expanding more on his contribution to the Civil Rights Movement in middle school. We learned about MLK and the Civil Rights Movement through documentaries, literature, and listening to speeches.
ReplyDeleteI chose the speech "The American Dream" by MLK in Atlanta, GA on July 4 1965. This speech I've heard before when I was in high school, the first couple lines of the speech has caught my attention ever since. Dr. King said, "America is essentially a dream" ,in the speech he uses this a warrant that what America has today they had to fight hard for, that this is a dream for all men of America, not just white men. He uses references from the Declaration of Independence saying that all men are created equal. MLK uses what the founding fathers has said before to make his speech more compelling and argues why it is necessary for all men to be equal. MLK also uses repetition in his speech to get the point across to the audience, he says, "It doesn’t say "some men," it says "all men." It doesn’t say "all white men," it says "all men," which includes black men. It does not say "all Gentiles," it says "all men," which includes Jews. It doesn’t say "all Protestants," it says "all men," which includes Catholics. It doesn’t even say "all theists and believers," it says "all men," which includes humanists and agnostics". This clearly will get it the point to the audience that his reasoning for equality are extremely simple that the founding father said "all men", never did they ever specify just "white men".
ReplyDeleteThroughout high school I learned about MLK, Malcom X as the center of the civil rights movement that pushed for equality amongst all men in America. That these men devoted their lives so that generations after them can enjoy the land of freedom and power. What people enjoy today, these man fought for in all they have. We should always respect and thankful that these men were born in such a chaotic time to deliver what we enjoy today as equality.
- Manila06
I chose to listen to the "I Have a Dream" speech because it is one of the most phenomenal speeches of all time. This speech is extremely important to me because Martin Luther King Jr. first said this speech in Detroit, Michigan, (which is where I'm from). Even though it became most popular when said at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. My grandmother went to the speech and she always referenced it. I never actually read the whole speech until now. One of phrases that really caught my attention was "I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream." This just showed me how committed Martin Luther King Jr. was to fulfilling his dream. Despite the struggling period of freedom and civil rights. This is a lesson that teaches everyone that if you have a goal or a dream that you want to achieve the solution isn't to give up you must continue to strive for to you desire. I think people in general seem to give up on dreams when it doesn't seem to immediately happen because I know it tend to do this on a regular basis. Martin Luther King Jr. never stopped believing in his dream and eventually it was achieved.
ReplyDeleteI chose to listen to "I Have a Dream" because i haven't heard it since i was in middle school. I remember listening to it when I was younger and i was a little bit embarrassed because being black in a pretty much all white school...it was kind of awkward to learn about racism in my class. Back then Dr.King's speech did not mean much to me but now its one of the most powerful things to read or listen to. Not only does this speech send a brave and inspiring message. It showcases Martin Luther Kings intelligence. He uses rhetoric, allusions, and demonstrates amazing word choice and organization. My reaction to his speech this time around i had more feeling. His speech truly means something to me and it speaks to life today. I do not feel as though we live in a racist filled society, I feel that we except each other but do not understand each other. His speech inspired me to go that next step by not just excepting other races but stopping to get to know them and learn about their culture and what about them that makes them different or similar besides that they look like.
ReplyDeleteinjustices towards African American that had been existed since the country was established. With almost 200,000 people standing before Martin Luther, he had to appeal to two very different groups of audiences, blacks and the activists. Because his audience came from completely different environments, he emphasized the one goal that unified all the audience: “to make justice” (Jr. King). In his speech, he repeated a phrase “I have a dream” to remind everyone why they were listening to him and what they were supposed to do for a better future. In order to persuade audience from different classes, he mainly focused on one thing that brought them altogether. Not only he does so to influence the audience but also he used trivial techniques throughout the speech. He paused longer than a normal person speaks when there was a pause or a period to let the audience think through what he just had said. Another think he did is to use monotone to reveal how consistent he is. Then towards the end he brought his pitch to a higher note showing the audience how important the last part of his speech is. I was impacted by this speech as I was standing with 200,000 people in the sun because the recent horrible incident that happened in Tucson 2 weeks ago. I was losing faith in humanity however this speech makes me realize why we are here and what we are supposed to build a better humanity. I never learned about Civil Rights Movement in U.S.A until my junior year of high school because I went to school in South Korea until 8th grade. I vaguely learned about history of slavery in United States because Korean education mostly focused on how slavery started under the colonialism.
ReplyDelete-Mihwa
I chose to listen to "Martin Luther King Jr's Legacy", why I chose it is not only because he gives out his speech but also because it gives his historical background as well. For example he was born as Michael King Jr. which he changed to Martin. He grew up in the south completely full of segregation. "Blacks" and "whites" went to different segregated schools. When he turned a young baptist minister, he used his skill for public speaking to take on segregation. Slowly, his word spread out and many were now on his side. The speeches given out were very influential especially to those who had experience the most discrimination. Without his hard work to give his people rights, the world that we now know wouldn't be the same.
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ReplyDeleteThe speech that I have chosen to listen to and write is the “Acceptance Speech at Noble Prize Ceremony”. Doctor Kings oratory style, is very smooth easy to understand in a formal way. The way he is saying his speech keeping his voice at a constants volume sounds as if he is saying a really long prayer. The common lyricism used by Martin Luther King is repetition, he shows by reusing the word “I am mindful”, “I refuse to” and “I believe”. With the constant tone of his voice and the reusing of these words persuades the reader to better understand the meaning of the speech and what doctor King is standing up for.
ReplyDeleteHearing the speech and reading along at the same time, helps absorb much more than just doing one. Doing this I absorbed the speech very well, I came to a sense that Martin Luther King Jr from the looks of it was a hundred percent right all the way. He knew those hard times for humanity, but he also knew that, “Sooner or later, all the peoples of the world will have to discover a way to live together in peace”. Which is what most of the world is doing right now.
My experience learning about the “Civil Rights Movement” was more at school than anything else. At home my parents did tell me stories and events that have happen be for my time such as riots or marches. I learned about Gandhi, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr , Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Black Panthers etc. these people all took apart in the “Civil Rights Movement” one way or another. I ganged this knowledge through various textbooks in school, films “Malcolm X” and literature of letters, speech, poems etc.
-Angel
I printed my paper the first time because I couldn't post my comment.
Listening and reading through Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech of "The American Dream". A speech that brings emotion of facts that go on within America. The treatment that is to occur and to get rid of what occurs and should as in the constitution. Martin Luther King Jr.'s expresses himself out in a way that every one should comprehend and agree. He takes evidence of how everyone should be equal no matter what. Understanding law in America as said, which means no matter what you are, how you are, who you are, we are all to be equal. Martin Luther King Jr. was passionate when preaching for equality.
ReplyDeleteIn eighth grade I recall learning and previewing speeches that he composed. I thought of him as a strong and brave man that stood for his rights. He not only stood up for his rights, but helping everyone stand up for they to had meaning of equality in America. I learned of many other people that were also strong and brave and didn't care to get their equality. I read and learned of them and looked upon them, for they were standing up for their rights. The rights that everyone, is and was allowed to have here in America.
_Diana Raquel
31 March 1968
ReplyDelete“Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution" by Martian Luther King Jr.
I have heard and read many of MLK's speeches. This one, new to me, has touched me and ways that I can not describe. And although this speech was written some forty three years ago. I felt as if it was right now. Most of everything in his speech pointed to what America is today. Although racism isn't as it was forty three years ago, there is still racism. Even if it's not targeted towards the blacks. But I am considering other nationalities as well. Yes, blacks are still in poverty, but also whites. Yes, there is no more segregation. But we are trying to keep non-American people out of America by building barriers at the border. The government is still keeping money from the poverty stricken people, who can't get a job or can barely feed their children at night. Millions of Americans are still sleeping on the street bagging for money. Health Insurance is still impossible to come by and the poverty stricken people still can't see the doctors they need to see. It's been forty three years since Dr. King spoke the speech and American has hardly change a the Great America.
I learned about the civil rights movement through my family and through school. Starting from elementary school to high school, also through personal experience. While I was in grade school I didn't quiet fully understand the movements and to me, I felt that my teachers didn't put out the right facts out for me to know. And now I feel that I am learning more about the civil rights movement than ever.
-Lacree Freesia
I listened to the "18 September 1963 - Eulogy for the Martyred Children" Speech.
ReplyDeleteI want to start off by saying that it must have been a very sad thing for the parents of those little girls, that died, to be buried. From the tone of Dr. Martin's voice i could tell that the girls' death must have been a very tragic and painful one. I felt really bad for those girls that lost their lives tragically in the bombing. Just from the tone of Dr. Martins passion filled voice, i could tell the anger and rage that he had going on, especially towards the end when he said, "nor did they die discussing and listening to filthy jokes". At that point i found my self picturing those young girls, the innocence in their face and the instant pain that they felt. And at that point i had chills run down my body.
I am not really deep into all the political and civil rights movement topic. Neither have i really learned a lot about civil right movement, but i definitely know a little about it. I know for a fact that the likes of Dr. Martin Luther King and Jesse Jackson were civil right activists and they fought their way to black freedom, equality and justice.
-FresshDWizzy
I listened to the "4 July 1965- The American Dream" Speech.
ReplyDeleteAt first listen, this speech could be perceived as deeply complex. However, there are very simple topics within the speech. In the speech you will find ideas such as how America itself is a dream. How it claims that "All men are created equal" yet have deep ugly roots of slavery and segregation. Dr. King also suggests how we as people "need to learn to live together as brothers or die together as fools", and how we "need to get rid of the notion of superior and inferior races". He urges people to see that those ideas are important and to truly acquire the American Dream Americans have to make a positive change. I know that we have come such a long way, however we still have miles to go considering the way our government is run and, resulting from that, how the american people live.
I know a moderate amount about The Civil Rights Movement but I would like to learn more. I've seen films about it, I've been to the King Center in Atlanta, Georgia and I've also read readings on it. To me, it is one of the most interesting things to learn about.
-B.O.M.B
For this assignment I decided to listen to the ever famous "I Have A Dream," speech by Dr. Martain Luther King Jr. While listening to his speech i was taken by the almost poetic nature of his oration. He speaks with an almost melodic pattern and captivates his audience through it. His speech made many refences to the constituion and the fore fathers of our nation. When he reffered to the Constitution he used a metaphor of a check given to the poeple of black race. Say that when they drafted the constituion they meant that all American citizens white and black were guarenteed what are the most basic rights that all of humanity are entitled to. Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happieness, he then said that over a hundred years later the black poeple of our nation were still not equalls under this document. Now while listening to this powerfull speech i could not help but be taken by it and remeber all of the lessons of the civil rights movement through out my shcool career. His speech makde me think of how much has changed in what seems like so little time. It is all because of poeple like Him that made our country the land of equallity that it is today. I mean yes there are still poeple that are racist, but the number is exponentially dwindling.Through his actions and his words one day and one day very soon racism will be completly exsponged.
ReplyDeleteH2A