The Impact Of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have A Dream" Speech

The best-laid plans are often better off ignored—at least that was the case with Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech at the March on Washington from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963. Widely regarded as one of the world’s most “transformative and influential” speeches, it is often compared to Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address and Winston Churchill’s "Blood, toil, tears and sweat" speech. The impact of King’s words that hot summer afternoon in Washington D.C. struck a chord with civil rights advocates near and far, becoming a powerful rallying cry.

King’s speech added fuel to the ongoing movement for racial equality. Its impact helped pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, outlawing racial segregation in the United States. However, those four famous words almost didn’t make it into the speech.

King's Vision for His Speech

Before stepping up to the podium that day, King was already known on the national stage for his civil rights work. He had already led significant movements such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955 and the Greensboro sit-in movement in 1960. His 1963 Letter from Birmingham Jail also made headlines as he was imprisoned for participating in a peaceful demonstration.

As the head of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, King was recognized as a powerful orator, but his past audience had primarily consisted of the Black community. Fellow civil rights activists A. Philip Randolph and Bayard Rustin reached out to him and other prominent figures in the movement to organize the march followed by three hours of speeches. King was determined to make his speech impactful, aiming for it to resonate with the nation like the Gettysburg Address.

Collaborating with Trusted Advisors

To create the right words for his speech, King turned to his inner circle for help. His advisers, Stanley Levison and Clarence Jones, wrote the first draft. Jones remarked that King often acted like an interior designer when it came to his speeches. "I would deliver four strong walls, and he would use his God-given abilities to furnish the place so it felt like home,” he noted.

Despite understanding the importance of the speech, the group could only meet at the Willard Hotel the evening before the event. They chose the lobby for their meeting, believing it would be harder to wiretap. This unusual start allowed King to gather with a small group of advisers to discuss and finalize the themes of his speech. Even though King was satisfied with the draft, he sought input from a diverse group of advisors to ensure all blind spots were covered.

The Original Draft and "I Have a Dream"

The phrase "I have a dream" was initially cut from the speech. King had often referenced the idea of a "dream" in previous speeches, but one adviser strongly advised against using it, calling it trite and cliché. Respecting this opinion, King removed the lines about the dream from the draft. That night, he went to bed with the decision made.

However, as the day of the march approached, there was growing concern among organizers about the turnout. They had set a goal of 100,000 attendees. On August 28, despite the heat in Washington D.C., which reached 87 degrees Fahrenheit with high humidity, people began arriving in large numbers.

Making History with a Powerful Delivery

By the time it was King's turn to speak, some people had already left due to the sweltering heat. Nevertheless, he began, “I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.” He then invoked the language of the Lincoln speech, starting with “Five score years ago,” emphasizing the significance of the Emancipation Proclamation.

King outlined the purpose of the march, saying, “In a sense we’ve come to our nation’s capital to cash a check.” He highlighted that the founding documents of the United States promised unalienable rights to all men, regardless of their race. “It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment,” he stressed, calling for immediate action.

A Moment of Inspiration

During his speech, King’s words did not have the immediate impact he hoped for. At that moment, gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, who had performed earlier, shouted, “Tell ’em about the dream, Martin.” This prompted King to abandon his prepared remarks and speak from the heart.

He began with, “Even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream.” This marked the beginning of his most famous passage, where he envisioned a nation where individuals would be judged by their character rather than their skin color. The audience was captivated as he spoke passionately about his dream for equality and justice.

The Legacy of His Speech

King concluded with the powerful call for unity, stating that all people, regardless of their background, would join together in freedom. As he emphasized the phrase “Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!” the crowd erupted in applause, solidifying the moment in history.

Reflecting on that day, Jones noted the shift in King’s delivery once he set aside his manuscript. He became more of a preacher than a lecturer, embodying the kind of messaging America needed to hear. King himself acknowledged that the audience's response was overwhelming, and he felt compelled to speak from the heart, leading to the iconic legacy of the “I Have a Dream” speech.