A Dream to Change a Nation

America faced its own bitter conflicts with itself during the 1950s and 1960s when African Americans fought diligently for the rights they were granted at the end of the Civil War. Even though they were free on paper, African Americans still faced de facto segregation. The thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution did not guarantee that, in reality, blacks would enjoy all of their civil rights and liberties. In 1963, immense numbers of African Americans marched to Washington D.C. Standing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous “I have a dream speech,” encouraging his people to keep pushing forward for their cause. In the “I have a dream speech,” Martin Luther King is trying to persuade the white Americans to end segregation and discrimination by using Abraham Lincoln’s words in the Emancipation Proclamation as well as colorful symbolism to appeal to the emotions of his audience. In this paper, I will analyze Martin Luther King’s use of imagery throughout his speech.

Martin Luther King vivid use symbolism throughout his notorious speech attracts his audience’s attention, allowing them to visualize all that the African Americans had wrongfully experienced. He establishes his credibility to the white society in the United States by quoting Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. Lincoln, the sixteenth president of the United States, was a highly respected man throughout his presidency, and he is even respected by millions today. King develops an abundance of symbolism, beginning by speaking of Lincoln’s decree. In reference to the Emancipation Proclamation, King spoke of the “captivity” that black slaves faced prior to being free. However, “100 years later,” King insisted that blacks were still living in “captivity” – not literal, but symbolic. No, blacks at the time were not slaves any more, but they were still treated as such, talked to as though they were inferiors, and were not allowed to enter specific facilities. King symbolized the “captivity” faced by African Americans through tangible objects used in the police force, such as handcuffs. These handcuffs, though, were discussed as “chains,” symbolizing an even more severe injustice simply by King’s rhetoric. Martin Luther King said that the African Americans were being squashed into a “corner” in America – once again, not literal. The corner in which black people were being forced into was the poverty and lack of opportunity. Even though Martin Luther King utilized many more symbols throughout his speech, these are a few of the ones that stand out.

King used these symbols and many other devices to appeal to the sensitivity of the whites to make them understand just how awful it was for an African American to live in the United States during the Civil Rights Movement. His symbolic usage was very effective, because it not only encouraged blacks to keep pursuing their goals, but it also caught the attention of the whites in American society. His speech was extremely ethical, because not only did King address whites and tell them what was wrong, but he also addressed his own race and told them how they could help change their lives. It is difficult to watch and listen to King’s speech and not feel any sympathy for his people’s cause. Many whites must have been emotionally aroused by his speech and tried to make a difference after hearing King’s powerful declaration.