Anatomy of a Dream

Dr. King's legacy is one of civil disobedience combined with a call for nonviolence, peace and harmony. It is through his words, leadership and determination that an entire nation was finally awakened to many of the cruelties of racial inequity. But it was Dr. King's ability to speak that allowed him to reach so many people. He was able to grab his audience through his approach of starting out soft and slow and advancing to a rousing crescendo. And at no time was Dr. King's ability to capture his audience more evident than on the afternoon of August 28, 1963.

Opening his address, Dr. King uses the words, "Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation" as a clever reference to Abraham Lincoln. In his Gettysburg Address one hundred years prior to Dr. King's speech, Lincoln had opened with the famous words: "Four score and seven years ago..." It is with such marvelous use of both the English language and historic reference that Dr. King quickly leads his audience. With these words, we learn that a full century has passed since blacks were officially given their freedom. Dr. King reports, however, "One hundred years later, the Negro still is not free."

From here, Dr. King slowly and clearly makes the point that a proclamation is nothing more than words if its guarantees are not practiced. In the first portion of his address, he educates his audience with a history of the struggles of blacks since Lincoln's historic decision to free the slaves. As he hammers out each point, Dr. King repeats the words "one hundred years later" as a reminder to his audience of the vast amount of time that has passed.

Next, Dr. King refers to "the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence," reminding his listeners that freedom was truly guaranteed long before the Emancipation Proclamation.

Dr. King continues to quietly but firmly educate his audience of the injustice endured by blacks for countless years. His mood-and that of the audience-is one of sadness, perhaps mixed with feelings of anger. Dr. King is almost poetic as he utilizes economic terms to further his point. The phrase "promissory note" refers to the guarantees of the Constitution. He says that "America has defaulted on this promissory note," and given Negroes "a bad check...marked with insufficient funds." Staying on this theme, Dr. King begins to build hope: "But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt," and "that there are insufficient funds...and so we've come to cash this check." At this point, the audience begins to cheer and applaud, feeling the hope that Dr. King's words bring.

Now, Dr. King begins to tell his audience the importance and urgency of their quest. He reminds them repeatedly, in his poetic manner, that "now is the time", and with each use of that phrase come cheers and shouts from the crowd. He now has them in the palm of his hand; they are ready to follow. With each statement, Dr. King's voice grows louder, and with it, the cheers grow louder.

Next, Dr. King reminds his audience that "in the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds." He warns against "drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred" and resorting to "physical violence." The audience, somewhat calmer, nonetheless responds with roaring approval. King has made his point: inspiration need not be accompanied by violence.

Having made his point of nonviolence, Dr. King reminds his audience why they have gathered together on this day. Again he uses the method of repeating a phrase at the beginning of each statement. "We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality," he begins. "We can never be satisfied as long as...[we] cannot gain lodging" in motels and hotels. With each point, the audience grows louder with cheers and applause, and again he has them as he closes this portion with: "No, no we are not satisfied and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream." Once again, we are treated to the poetic talents of Dr. King.

The final portion of Dr. King's address is dripping with words of inspiration and hope that have helped guide millions of Americans for over forty years. "I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal.'" The crowd roars its approval. Dr. King then begins each of his next six statements with the words "I have a dream", each point filled with the hope and vision of an America that still to this day does not exist. He maintains eye contact with his audience throughout this portion of the speech, giving the impression that these words are coming more from the heart than from a sheet of paper. He then quotes the song "My Country, 'tis of Thee," taking from it the wonderful words "Let freedom ring." These three words are used again and again to further elicit hope from his audience: "Let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire; let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York; let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania..." Dr. King continues poetically throughout the landscape of America until he closes with the hope that some day "all God's children...will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: 'Free at last. Free at last. Thank God Almighty, we are free at last.'" As he speaks these final words, Dr. King raises his right arm to emphasize their meaning. The audience stands and roars as he leaves the podium.

A nation is inspired and Dr. Martin Luther King's work is done...for a day.