Rhetorical Analysis Of Martin Luther King's Speech During The 1963 March On Washington

King alludes to Lincoln because he too was an activist for black rights and if such an important and powerful figure in American history felt this way then there is obviously good reasoning in why blacks should be bestowed with true justice. King delivers his speech under Lincoln’s memorial because Abraham Lincoln represents Liberty, Equality, and Independence which is what Dr. King has devoted his life to. Frederick Douglass states “what doth it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul” which is a biblical scripture. This quote illustrates that committing actions with only ones personal gain, will ultimately not be worth the payout because one would be throwing away their integrity and honor. Douglass is comparing this idea to the war.

In the speech King shows in this quote that the Negroes should be free. “Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic

This quote exemplifies how blacks have been put down and beat upon for years without the ability to fight back. King detailing the constitutional and god given rights shows that blacks have been denied basic rights that our country has been structured around. The American ideology that “all men are created equal” has not applied to the black race, illustrating their denial of God-given and constitutional rights. The stinging darts of segregation is an example of blacks continuous enduring of

By drawing on powerful examples from the past, King is able to build a compelling case for the need for immediate action in the fight for Civil rights. “Negroes have experienced grossly unjust treatment in the courts. There have been more unsolved bombings of Negro homes and churches in Birmingham than in any other city in the nation” (King 518). Martin Luther King makes sure to use examples of past events which he witnessed in ways of helping to show and prove his point in his letter. Another example may include, We will reach the goal of freedom in Birmingham and all over the nation, because the goal of America is freedom.

King passionately worked for a society where his children would not be judged by their race “but by the content of their character,” which impactfully and emotionally expresses what the world could look like without segregation (King). Also, the brutality of racism caused African Americans to be “stripped of their selfhood,” and because of this, all activists will not be satisfied until equal justice is given to all (King). Through the moving pathos usages, King paints a picture of the society he dreams about, in which African Americans live equally with white people, with this equality will come social development and will create a better future where all people can share their thoughts openly without any preventions. Although brutal segregation dived the deep south, the prejudices also played an integral role in fueling the fire of activism that burned in activists’ hearts as the urgency and tensions lived on in the South. Moreover, Martin Luther King had a beautiful dream of an equal society that he passionately dreamt and tirelessly strived to achieve regardless of the almost hopeless

We live in a world with currently many conflicts from the racial disparity in high incarceration rates to gun violence and the war over gun rights. In his letter, King describes that Black Americans have no identity and that the oppressed cannot remain oppressed forever. King implies that they cannot be told to “wait for justice” because if they simply

Deluged with remarkable linguistics, King’s rhetoric wholly epiphanized and unified a country that had been stricken with unrest by war and hate and thus became the epitome of the March on Washington and the summation of the Civil Rights Movement Summarized Speech The speech encapsulates the desire to remain equal among the exalted American people, those of White color. At the outset King utilizes a policy signed 100 years ago as reference to a declaration of freedom that has only been contorted to produce new boundaries on freedom;

On April 4, 1968, Robert F. Kennedy gave his remarks on the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Robert’s goal was to inform people on Martin Luther King’s journey and to strengthen people’s attitudes on the whole situation. Robert’s main points throughout the speech were how the country as a whole should move forward, why the states should not resort to violence but unity instead, and he also addressed that the country needed unity, love, and compassion.

He doesn’t want the African Americans to stop their fight for freedom, even if it might not happen a hundred years from now, hopefully it will happen in the future. King uses different rhetorical devices throughout the speech, he uses analogy the most as a logical approach. At one point in the speech he talks about how the African Americans are overdue for their check from the bank of justice, check meaning a promise for their freedom and justice. Dr. King used more of an emotional approach during the speech rather than a logical

Martin Luther King Jr., a minister and social activist, led the Civil Rights Movement in the United States from the mid-1950s until his death by assassination in 1968. He was an advocate for equality between all races and a civil and economic rights Activist. Because of his leadership, bravery and sacrifice to make the world a better place, Martin Luther King was awarded with the Nobel Peace Prize. His incredible public speaking skills and ability to properly get his message across can clearly be scene throughout the speech. Tone: Dr. King delivered his speech at the university of Oslo in Oslo Norway in front of a large group of people.

Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the most influential leaders of his time and played a crucial role in the African-American Civil Rights movement. Luther was a charismatic leader who took a firm stand against the oppressive and racist regime of the United States (US), devoting much of his life towards uniting the segregated African-American community of the US. His efforts to consolidate and harmonise the US into one country for all is reflected in many of his writings and speeches spanning his career. As a leader of his people, King took the stand to take radical measures to overcome the false promises of the sovereign government that had been addressing the issues of racial segregation through unimplemented transparent laws that did nothing to change the grim realities of the society. Hence, King’s works always had the recurring theme of the unity and strength of combined willpower.

On August 28th, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr gave us one of one of the most rhetorically moving speeches ever given. Titled as the “I Have a Dream Speech,” he read this speech to the “March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom”. As a civil right mover he gave this great speech to all Americans (black and white) so that he could give off the idea of equality on the same level. Because of his crowd of mix races King made sure to make his speech imploring to all no matter what the race that they may be. He uses metaphorical imagery, powerful diction,and symbolism to create an impact on the audience.

This reference in particular evokes the strongest emotional response from black people because many African Americans revered Lincoln for his decision to sign the revolutionary Emancipation Proclamation, and how the document symbolized a free future for slaves--the ancestors of the blacks in the crowd. But the next few lines following this allusion also persuades those ignorant of how little things have changed by highlighting the “manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination” that blacks still suffer from despite the hundred year gap. Here, he uses the connotations of “manacles” and “chains” to evoke a negative emotional response from the audience, especially from those unaware of the need to change, causing their opinion to match the speaker’s: against segregation. Additionally, King weaves biblical allusions into his speech to appeal to the Christians within the crowd. He uses the “dark and desolate valley of segregation” to illustrate the injustice African Americans have endured for centuries and juxtapositions it with the “sunlit path of racial justice” to exemplify a future where true freedom exists for

He places the strong authority of the declaration on his side to show how the American people are in contradiction to their own “sacred obligation” and the Negros have gotten a “bad check.” A metaphor representing the unfulfilled promise of human rights for the African Americans. King skillfully evokes an emotional response from all races with the use of religion: “Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God’s children.” By doing this he finds a common ground that brings black and whites closer with a common belief in God they share, as well as the mention of

Throughout his speech he implies a lot of metaphors to make his speech effective and influencing. For example, King constantly describes the Negroes as being “crippled” by the “manacles of segregation”, “Storms of Persecution,” and “chains of discrimination.” Through these metaphors King indicates the crises the Negroes face. A few of King’s strongest metaphors are his references to prejudice: “the quick sands of racial injustice”, the “heat of oppression”, “the dark and desolate valleys of segregation”, and the “chains of discrimination.” King also indicates the unbearable inequality by creating an image: “the sweltering summer of the negro’s discontent.”