I found myself listening to Martin Luther King’s August 28, 1963 speech to civil rights marchers at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC several times this weekend. Powerful stuff.

Here is the text for the [I Have A Dream [3quarksdaily]](http://3quarksdaily.blogs.com/3quarksdaily/2006/01/i_have_a_dream.html) speech. The audio file can be found [here.](http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/Ihaveadream.htm)


9 Comments

  1. Cheryl January 16, 2006 at 9:54 am

    A powerful speech and a great leader lost.

  2. John Philip Mason January 18, 2006 at 9:03 pm

    Actually, I’ve heard several of his speeches over the years. He spoke on a variety of topics and often did so at local churches, as he toured throughout the country. His words move me each and every time I read or hear one of his speeches. One of my favorite Dr. King quotes is:

    “Nonviolence is the answer to the crucial political and moral questions of our time: the need for man to overcome oppression and violence without resorting to oppression and violence. Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love.”

  3. pcampbell January 23, 2006 at 12:05 pm

    He said and you remind us of the magic word, Mr. Mason. LOVE
    Agreed Cheryl – a great leader lost. What might have been?

  4. Julie J. January 24, 2006 at 5:09 pm

    I think that Martin Luther King Jr. was so controversial. It is probailly the most powerful speech anyone in American history has ever given.

  5. JRice September 7, 2006 at 7:54 pm

    As a full time Masters student at Walden University I am considering doing a digital story about Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speach, so I was reseaching when I ran across your URL. He was a great speaker and a great leader, one of which we will never seem to see again.

  6. Joe October 16, 2006 at 11:10 am

    As a preacher of the gospel I am always moved by a good speach — and this is a great one.

    I am also very aware of the power of words.
    The Bible also talks about the fixed link between our mouths and our spirit.

    A simple study of “words,” the “tongue,” “wise,” and “fools” or “foolish” will show the connection. Fools speak foolishily to their own destruction from the inside out and the rest of us are warned not to listen. Wise words bring healing etc.

    Every time I hear this speach it moves my spirit. Why? Because of the spiritual power in words. This speach proves the point.

    An experiment – Try changing the way you speak so that the content is more positive and encouraging and see how you feel by the end of the day. How have you affected those around you?

  7. Don November 10, 2006 at 12:58 am

    I just finished litening to Dr. King’s speach with my 13 year old son. It was the first time he had ever heard it. Every year at his school (Christian) he has what is called “speach and word”. They must memorize a speach or poem or something similar. I talked him into doing this speach.

    Now he is about 2/3 through memorizing and I decided to find and play the speach for him. That he might hear how great this man and these words are. Although I am white, I very much look forward to hearing my son repeat these great words. The words of a man that show the wisdom that few display these days. Now I know the Lord knows what He is doing, but that being said, Dr. King is a man we could benifit from today. Benifit in the highest way. He is a man that I could think of no better to be the leader of this nation.

    I have what I call my “top 3”. It is the top 3 men I would most like to sit and talk with. Men from any time or any place, except you can not pick the lord. Mine are the Apostle Paul, Abraham Lincoln, and of course Dr. King. And who would yours be?

  8. nima January 18, 2007 at 8:33 am

    How many roads must a man walk down
    Before you call him a man?
    Yes, ‘n’ how many seas must a white dove sail
    Before she sleeps in the sand?
    Yes, ‘n’ how many times must the cannon balls fly
    Before they’re forever banned?
    The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind,
    The answer is blowin’ in the wind.

    How many times must a man look up
    Before he can see the sky?
    Yes, ‘n’ how many ears must one man have
    Before he can hear people cry?
    Yes, ‘n’ how many deaths will it take till he knows
    That too many people have died?
    The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind,
    The answer is blowin’ in the wind.

    How many years can a mountain exist
    Before it’s washed to the sea?
    Yes, ‘n’ how many years can some people exist
    Before they’re allowed to be free?
    Yes, ‘n’ how many times can a man turn his head,
    Pretending he just doesn’t see?
    The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind,
    The answer is blowin’ in the wind.

  9. stefan November 17, 2007 at 10:40 pm

    im 15, and i live in england.
    altough my family are serbian.
    i am so passionate about my heritage that everytime i hear someone slate it, names, paki?, take the mick why?
    altough im white.
    ive never heard a more powerfull speech.
    that comes from the heart.
    and i was looking for a quote to put on my myspace and i think ive found it.
    why should people from other countrys, colour, hair, eyes, skin.
    why should they face oppression?
    people are people.
    weather your black or asian.
    your the same person.
    and in every culture, every race there is evil.
    just because someone’s black doesn’t make them evil or bad.
    but people portray it as so.
    thats my thoughts anyway:).
    x thank you
    R.I.P Dr. Martin luther king jr. may peace by with you.

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