Beginning with a reference to the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed million of slaves in 1863, King observes that : ” one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free”. Toward the end of the speech, king departed from his prepared text for a partly improvised peroration on the theme” I have a dream” , promoted by Mahalia Jackson’s cry : “Tell them about the dream, Martin !” in this part of the speech, which most wxcited the listeners and has now become the most famous is King described his dreams of freedom and equality arising from a land of slavery and hatred. Jon Meacharm writes that, “With a single phrase, Martin Luther King Jr. joined Jefferson and Lincoln in the ranks of men who’ve shaped modern America”. The speech was ranked the top American speech of the 20th century in a 1999 poll of scholars of public address.
a) What issues does Martin Luther King’s speech address?
b) Who pushes King to speak : “I have a dream” ?
c) What did King observe and what does the most famous part of his speech describe?
d) In front of whom does King speak?
e) From the last paragraph, give one word for ‘to leave’ and make a sentence with it.
f) Make precis of the passage given above and give a suitable title.