“I Have A Dream…..

”
17BEC00085
RVR Abhiram
English for Engineers

Martin Luther King Jr. delivered the speech “I

Have a Dream..” in 1963 during the march on
Washington.
King’s “I Have a Dream" speech begins by
referencing the Emancipation Proclamation as a
“great beacon light of hope” for slaves who
were experiencing injustice; despite this hope,
King pointed out further work was required for
African Americans to be truly free in their own
country.
King uses the metaphor of a bad check to
describe how America has mistreated African
Americans, despite the words in the U.S
Constitution and Declaration of Independence
that grant all people the rights of life, liberty,
and the pursuit of happiness.
King tells the audience that now is the time to
fight for democracy and for brotherhood. There
cannot be any quitting because it is just the
beginning of the struggle. He reminds his
listeners that the fight must be accomplished
with dignity and non-violence; people should not
resort to violent actions, but remain disciplined
and continue to move forward with the ultimate
goal in mind.
King urges people to continue to have faith and
not “wallow in the valley of despair”. He states
that even though we experience great troubles,
he has a dream that this nation will rise up and
become truly equal. One day, all across the
United States, there will no longer be
discrimination and all the black people and
white people will be able to join hands like
brothers and sisters.