A dream was dreamt: a compelling argument was made.

Arguably one of the most influential speeches of all time is the speech which has come to be known as the ‘I have a dream’ speech delivered by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC, in August of 1963. It was given during the height of the American Civil Rights movement, of which Doctor King was a influential leader. In his speech Doctor King is trying to persuade white Americans to further the cause of the Civil Rights movement by appealing to promises made throughout American history by respected and influential leaders that he believed had been left undone and unfulfilled.

Americans have always loved their heritage; early leaders of our Country are icons of the ideal American. Even before speaking a single word, Dr. King communicates a very strong message by setting the location for the speech on the steps of the Lincoln memorial in Washington DC, surrounded by the legacies of the founders. This was done in order to allow for an easier connection to what Abraham Lincoln said and did. It is one thing to speak of someone that is far away distant and abstract, which is often the case for someone who has been dead for many years, but Dr. King brings these early Americans back to the present by quoting what they said and by being in their symbolic presence. Dr. King also makes many historical references in his speech, he talks about the founding fathers and how they created the bill of rights which declares that ‘all men are created equal’; he also speaks of Lincoln himself and the emancipation proclamation that freed the slaves. He argues that all of these decisions were well made and should be respected

Dr. King does this so that he can communicate better with his audience, the people of white America. He uses the voices of distinguished Americans, white Americans that share his same message of universal freedom regardless of race or color. By connecting the deep feelings that many Americans have for their heritage, Dr. King is very effective in his speech because he draws on the established authority and respectability of these early American leaders.