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Excerpts from Martin Luther King's Speeches
by Ron Kurtus (revised 17 February 2018)
Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was a great orator is the tradition of many southern preachers and ministers. He had great use of his voice, along with poetic imagery in his speeches. This is the same delivery used in many "hell and brimstone" sermons that Southern Baptist ministers and other preachers have used.
His most famous speech was I Have a Dream, given on the steps at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. on August 28, 1963. In that speech, he included three mini-speeches that he included numerous times in other speeches. They are: I've Seen the Mountain Top, I Have a Dream and Let Freedom Ring.
We have included audio clips of those mini-speeches, so you can hear how he delivered the material.
Questions you may have include:
- How can I use this material to improve my writing skills?
- How can I use these mini-speeches to improve my speaking skills?
- What is the historical significance of this material?
This lesson will answer those questions.
Learning from speech
Read this speech to gain insight on writing speeches and public speaking.
Speech writing
You can read the speech to examine its logical flow and use of imagery and emotional appeal. Note the length of the sentences and use of pauses. Short phrases make for effective delivery.
You can also outline the the speech to show where new ideas are presented and grouped.
(See Speech Writing for more information.)
Public speaking
Read part of the speech aloud—perhaps to a small audience or to yourself in a mirror. Pause at the commas and periods to allow for better understanding by the audience. Vary your pitch, rate and emotional level as you see fit.
(See Public Speaking for more information.)
Historical significance
Note the mission and goals of Rev. King in each of these mini-speeches. Do you think he was able to move people to action from these speech materials?
Martin Luther King, giving a speech
Excerpts
Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.:
I've seen the mountain top
I have a dream
Let freedom ring
Summary
Use this material by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. to improve your skills in speech writing, public speaking, or history.
Speak with gusto
Resources and references
Websites
Martin Luther King Jr. Papers Project - Stanford University
Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" Speech - 1963 - Text and study
Books
(Notice: The School for Champions may earn commissions from book purchases)
Top-rated books on Martin Luther King
Top-rated books on Civil Rights Movement
Top-rated books on Famous Speeches
Top-rated books on Oratory and Rhetoric
Students and researchers
The Web address of this page is:
www.school-for-champions.com/speeches/
king_excerpts.htm
Please include it as a link on your website or as a reference in your report, document, or thesis.
Where are you now?
Excerpts from Martin Luther King's Speeches