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Jessica Bennett
Ms. Warda
Communication Studies 1
December10, 2017
An analysis of Martian Luther King JR’s “I Have a Dream” Speech.
Over 200,000 people came together for the March on Washington where Martian Luther
King Jr delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech On August 28, 1963. In this speech King talks
about the segregation and discrimination that African Americans were going through in the
United States. MLK starts of by saying “I am happy to join you today in what will go down in
history as the greatest demonstration of freedom in the history of our nation.” In his opening
statement he says what he here to do, which was speaking out for freedom. This speech is an
example of freedom which our nation was built upon. We are a nation of democracy and we have
these rights to exercise. MLK speeches and actions are strong and moving, enough to help the
nation push for a much better world. MLK strongly uses Ethos, Logos, and Pathos in his rhetoric
to prove his point that racism is not what America is.
Before talking about MLK’s speech strategies, it is important to know what was going on
during the time of this speech. There were a lot of things going on in the nation causing MLK to
give this speech. African Americans were unequal in the 1960’s, MLK was an activist he was
trying to get freedom for himself and his people. A racial caste system was created called the Jim
Crow Laws, which was mainly in southern in boarder states. Under the Jim Crow laws, blacks
became second class citizens, the laws were changed to an oppressed way of life for Africans
Americans. These laws were harsh, for example a black male could not offer to shake his hand
with a white male because it meant they were socially equal. Blacks couldn’t show public
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affection towards one another (Pilgrim 2). These laws basically treated blacks as if they weren’t
human but objects for example if a white person drove a car a black person would have to sit in
the back or in the trunk (Pilgrim 2). Now think about that we only put objects such as a box with
junk inside in the back or in the trunk. Hatred towards black was real and disgusting. Blacks
were considered “separate but equal”. But how can anyone be separate but equal? They way they
were treated was unfair and not right.
Then again the Civil Rights Movement was created to eliminate the Jim Crow laws.
During the movement they weren’t being violent but instead they were treated with violence and
no matter how bad it was they didn’t attack back, they were smart with this non-violent
movement because it made the cops and the people that mistreated them look bad. One of the
biggest things that happened during this movement was Rosa Parks, a black woman who refused
