Subjects
English, Social Studies, Government
Estimated Time
One 50-minute class period, plus extended activities
Grade Level
9-12
Objective
Students will study Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech and discuss the rhetorical influences on King’s speech, the oratorical devices that King used in delivering his speech and how a speech is similar to/different from other literary forms.
Background
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s most memorable speech from his life as an activist, “I HAVE A DREAM,” was delivered August 28, 1963, before more than 200,000 people in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. The speech was part of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The speech not only helped to galvanize the already growing civil rights movement across the country at the time, it also became one of the most influential and inspirational pieces of rhetoric in American history.
Remarkably, midway through his delivery, King suspended his pre-scripted text and began to improvise; what resulted was the speech’s most recognizable section, the passage in which the words “I have a dream” are passionately repeated. Indeed, King’s background as a Baptist preacher in the South instilled in him a talent for improvisation as a speaker and the skill to frame the urgency of the moment.
What is also apparent in “I Have Dream” is King’s deep commitment to scholarship (he earned a Ph.D. from Boston University). King was clearly well-versed in both American history and religious scripture, and he seamlessly weaves references to both into the fabric of his oration. Overall, “I Have a Dream” can be held up as a masterful creative work in itself; its dramatic structure coupled with its image-laden content render a remarkably moving piece of American literature that when read even outside of its original context still strongly resonates today.
Music for The Black Church in New Hampshire courtesy of Gary Richardson Music.
Rev. Jeffrey McILwain describes what the Black Church means to him.
Rev. Jeffrey McILwain describes what truth and faith within the Black Church meant.
Rev. Jeffrey McILwain talks about the opening of the first AME Zion Church in NH.
Rev. Jeffrey McILwain talks about the first Black Church in New Hampshire, "The Pearl".
Woullard Lett talks about how slave-traders once used the church as a tool to pacify.
Woullard Lett shares his thoughts on what the Black Church means to him.
Woullard Lett talks about the roots of the Black Church in New Hampshire.
Woullard Lett talks about the church’s role of support.
Woullard Lett talks about the church’s role of building strength and connections.
The Black Church explores the church’s powerful influence.
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. discusses the origins of Black church.
Explore the 400-year-old story of the black church in America with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
An intimate four-hour series from Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
Henry Louis Gates recalls the impact of John Lewis' life and work.
A stirring speech that is as meaningful today as it was on that day.
A stirring speech that is as meaningful today as it was on that day.
The Lightfoot brothers recall how they ended up with a piano while living in East Lake.
In 1956, the government further enabled the middle-class movement to the suburbs through the rise of new infrastructure "“ the interstate highway system. For many cities across the country, highways were used as a way to overpass and "erase" areas considered "black slums."
The story of a public housing community raises critical questions about race and poverty.
In a decade, East Lake went from being predominantly white to 90% African American.
Tenants in East Lake Meadows soon find things aren't getting things fixed.
How high ACE scores "“ reflecting childhood trauma "“ stays with girls throughout their lives and often results in them blaming themselves for negative outcomes that were never theirs to control. Understanding their ACE scores can help girls reject stereotypes that label them as "bad" or "insubordinate." Knowing their ACE scores can prompt girls to perceive their lives in a more positive light.
We hear from several young women who discuss how Black girls perceive themselves.
12-year-old Samaya tells us how being kicked out of class almost derailed her life.
"Pushout" looks at the criminalization of Black girls in schools.
The story of a public housing community raises critical questions about race and poverty.
Watch Chapter 1 of Stonewall Uprising.
A brief history of Madame CJ Walker's beauty empire.
Las Vegas artist Justin Favela explains how being Mexican-American influences his work.
The curators travel to Pittsburgh and the Art House, home of artist Vanessa German. She presents her spoken word performance, "If My Hands Were Anything Other Than Hands." She then takes the curators to her studio and explains her sculpting process "“ which involves reconfiguring dolls and wrapping them like mummies to create a solid figure "“ and the mindset that led to one of her sculptures.
The curators at Crystal Bridges begin a 10-month journey in search of American artists.
After an exhilarating national journey of artistic discovery, 100 under-recognized American artists were selected for one unforgettable exhibition. "State of the Art," a one-hour documentary, captures the personal stories of seven diverse artists from Crystal Bridges' groundbreaking exhibit who are redefining the American aesthetic.
Get an inside look at how BOSS explores the history of African American business.
Richelieu Dennis discusses the decision to acquire Essence and investing in Black women.
Post-Civil War America was a new world. For African Americans living in the former Confederacy, Reconstruction was what historian W. E. B. Du Bois once described as their "brief moment in the sun." But support for the social, economic, and political gains they achieved didn't last long. A controversial presidential election in 1876 deals Reconstruction a grievous blow.
The aftermath of the Civil War was bewildering, exhilarating . . . and terrifying.
Hour three of the series examines the years 1877-1896, a transitional period that saw visions of a "New South" set the stage for the rise of Jim Crow and the undermining of Reconstruction's legal and political legacy. While some African Americans attempted to migrate, the vast majority remained in the South, where sharecropping, convict leasing, disfranchisement, and lynchings drew a "color line".
The turn of the century is known as the "˜nadir' of race relations, when white supremacy was ascendant and African Americans faced both physical and psychological oppression. Racist imagery saturated popular culture and Southern propaganda manipulated the story of the Civil War and Reconstruction. But African Americans found ways to fight back, using artistic expression to put forward a "New Negro"
Hour three of the series examines the years 1877-1896, a transitional period that saw visions of a "New South" set the stage for the rise of Jim Crow and the undermining of Reconstruction's legal and political legacy.
Post-Civil War America was a new world. For African Americans living in the former Confederacy, Reconstruction was what historian W. E. B. Du Bois once described as their "brief moment in the sun." But support for the social, economic, and political gains they achieved didn't last long. A controversial presidential election in 1876 deals Reconstruction a grievous blow.
The turn of the century is known as the "˜nadir' of race relations, when white supremacy was ascendant and African Americans faced both physical and psychological oppression. Racist imagery saturated popular culture and Southern propaganda manipulated the story of the Civil War and Reconstruction. But African Americans found ways to fight back, using artistic expression to put forward a "New Negro"
Ride alongside art curators as they embark on a road trip to 1,000 destinations.
Hour three of the series examines the years 1877-1896, a transitional period that saw visions of a "New South" set the stage for the rise of Jim Crow and the undermining of Reconstruction's legal and political legacy. Hour four looks at the turn of the century when white supremacy was ascendant and African Americans faced both physical and psychological oppression.
Learn about the untold story of African American entrepreneurship in the U.S.
See how our past affects our present with this inside look of Reconstruction.
Learn about the untold story of African American entrepreneurship.
How the Tulsa Race Riots changed Black Wall Street's legacy forever.
Merck & Co. CEO Ken Frazier talks history, community, and inspiration.
Cathy Hughes talks about her inspiration, struggles, and incredible success.