"I Have A Dream"

On August 28, 1963 a speech by Martin Luther King Jr. was a plea for America to change the way they thought about peoples with black skin. As pointed out by Martin Luther King Jr. over 100 years after the freeing of slaves the, “Negro is still not free.” There was much prejudice in America that caused a rift to grow between African Americans and Whites. This speech was given during the height of the civil rights movement of the 1960’s; Dr. King emphasized that he has “a dream” that there would one day be equality between all people in America. In this speech, Martin Luther King Jr. was trying to persuade the American people to end the growing racism in America by using his powerful repetition of “I have a dream.”

Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream and that dream was shared by many Americans, Blacks and Whites both. Through his repetition of “I have a dream” Dr. King showed America that he too, in addition to everyone else in America, had the “American Dream” of freedom, liberty, and equality. He stated that, “even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.” His emphasis of his dream being “deeply rooted in the American dream” shows that he too, although his skin was darker, held the dream of a better and brighter future. One of his repetitions of “I have a dream” has an even greater impact than it might otherwise have been because of his employment of his family, “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.” Every man and woman who marries and begin a family wants their children to succeed, and Martin Luther King Jr.’s “dream” was that his children would succeed as well. It does not matter what skin color a person has it only matters what the character of the person is.

Martin Luther King Jr. greatly emphasized that in his life, and especially on August 28, 1963, that he “[has] a dream today!” It is his dream that is shared by others and brought home through his comparisons of the American dream, and the dreams parents have for their children, as well as the ideal that, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.” What better “dream” is there than to have unity and love amongst an entire country with no prejudice and strife? Martin Luther King Jr. did an excellent job of appealing to all people no matter what color skin you have.