In memoriam: Forty years ago today Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous "I have a Dream" speech from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.

"I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.'

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.

Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado. Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.

But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.

Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.

Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi - from every mountainside.

Let freedom ring. And when this happens, and when we allow freedom ring - when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children - black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics - will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: 'Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!'"

I have so much admiration for what Martin Luther King accomplished.

"... The world will
little note nor long remember what we say here, but it can never
forget what they did here. It is for us the living rather to be
dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here
have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here
dedicated to the great task remaining before us--that from these
honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which
they gave the last full measure of devotion--that we here highly
resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, .... "

It's difficult to think of a more powerful piece of oratory than MLK's. Does anyone happen to know - did he write the speech himself?

Richard English

Yes and no.

As the last speaker of several slated to address the crowd that day, Dr. King had originally been alloted 4 minutes to speak. He ended up going a full 16 minutes in what is often referred to as an inspired improvisation but which was, in fact, largely taken from previous sermons he had given elsewhere. The large majority of the content was his but, in any event, the overall speech itself is rightly attributed to him as well.


A discouraging sidenote: There is a Martin Luther King Bridge in St. Louis that, for the sake of brevity, is identified on highway signs as the "MLK Bridge." Many people, including a distressingly high number of young African-Americans, refer to it as the "Milk Bridge" without being aware of what the "MLK" actually stands for. Sad...

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He ended up going a full 16 minutes in what is often referred to as an inspired improvisation but which was, in fact, largely taken from previous sermons he had given elsewhere. The large majority of the content was his but, in any event, the overall speech itself is rightly attributed to him as well.

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I did a quick search, and couldn't even find some whackjob white supremacist site that said he didn't write it, so I was assuming, "hey, the guy was a preacher! They know how to give a speech."

Although his estate (I'm guessing) tried to copyright it and was overturned.

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A discouraging sidenote: There is a Martin Luther King Bridge in St. Louis that, for the sake of brevity, is identified on highway signs as the "MLK Bridge." Many people, including a distressingly high number of young African-Americans, refer to it as the "Milk Bridge" without being aware of what the "MLK" actually stands for. Sad...

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Sad, but it also makes me think about a Chris Rock routine about how MLK Road or Boulevarde or Street is always in a "not so great" part of town. You break down there and call a friend for a ride: "Ok, where are you?"
"MLK"
Your friend, screaming, "RUN!!!!"

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Originally posted by WinterBranch:
Although his estate (I'm guessing) tried to copyright it and was overturned.

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Wanderingthreaditis strikes again..

Speaking of Martin Luther King's estate, here's a semi-interesting partially-literature-related trivia question for you:

The copyrights of what famous literary figure, most popular in the 20's and 30's but still widely read and appreciated today, were willed to Dr. Martin Luther King who, in turn, passed them on to the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) and who, to the best of my knowledge, hold them today? A hint - This person has been discussed (and praised, rightly so) on this board on more than one occasion.

I doubt this will be a stumper but I'll post the answer in a week or two. I really have to give this board a break and get some other work done!

I don't know your answer, CJ, but I did hear a similar explanation last night regarding MLK's speech. This person said that he had written another speech entirely. However, when he looked out over the crowd, he completely changed it. He also said that, at the time, the speech wasn't considered that inspiring; it was only after MLK's death that people recognized its brilliance.

In Chicago we have Martin Luther King Drive, as well as a number of other public places named for him. Martin Luther King Day is also very big in Chicago.

It's possible but unlikely that MLK gave an unprepared speech. Good extempore speakers can give a good show at the drop of a hat - one which lay listeners will think is wonderful.

However, great speakers spend a long time preparing and rehearsing their speeches - in many cases to ensure that every speech is the same as the previous one.

Richard English