America was at a crossroads during this era. Like the classic song by Sam Cooke, “A Change Is Gonna Come”, America was at a place socially and politically where things were so chaotic that there had to be some revisions of past policies and procedures. “Negroes” had been denied their “natural citizenship rights” for far too long. Martin Luther King expressed this extreme need for change when he eloquently stated: "It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning.” This statement, as well as the general language of this speech, was not only a demand for change, but it also contained a subtle warning to the white power structure and the United States Government if the demands for changes were ignored. Dr. King issued another subtle warning when he stated: “The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.” This embodies a somewhat militant and demanding type of attitude that is different to what many may expect from Dr. King. “I Have A Dream” not only inspires change, but demands it.
The hallowed steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. was the perfect location for this event. Not only is this a national stage where The Civil Rights Movement and this speech could reach the largest audience possible, it is also named after the President who signed the Emancipation Proclamation, thereby freeing the slaves. Martin Luther King acknowledged a certain kind of irony regarding the location for this monumental event. He obviously appreciated President Abraham Lincoln as “a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today”. However, King reminds us almost immediately that “one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free.” With this speech, King established the Lincoln Memorial into the nationwide venue for various civil rights demonstrations and social and political demonstrations, such as The Million Man March, organized by Louis Farrakhan in 1995, the inauguration of President Barack Obama in January 2009, and a major rally by the Tea Party in September 2010.
This speech and overall movement changed the way that many diverse groups approach their civil rights, and has inspired those groups to organize, protest, and demonstrate. In addition to The Black Panthers, who were obviously inspired by the Civil Rights Movement and the speeches of Dr. King, the California-based Chicano Civil Rights Movement, the Gay Rights Movement, and the above mentioned Tea Party movement, all use the Black Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s as a model. Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” will continue to influence and inspire Americans and others worldwide for generations to come.
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| My family and I at the MLK Memorial in Atlanta, GA |
I found your blog very interesting. I never thought about the irony about using the Lincoln Memorial for Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech. It just goes to show that sometimes things have more meaning than we may see at first glance. I knew of Lincoln’s association with the freedom of African American slaves, although the fact that blacks were still not “free” a hundred years later was insightful. I guess I did not put two plus two together, but thank you for bringing that to the light.
ReplyDeleteIn addition, on the topic of choosing a place to coordinate a speech, there is often a lot of thought put into it. This fact makes the irony of Dr. King’s speech even more clear because he obviously was an experienced orator. When coordinating a speech one has to consider how many people will attend, how well those people can hear from the farthest distance, and many other factors. The fact that he thought about those things when choosing the place for his speech just shows how thorough he was. This thoroughness in turn shows how committed his was to his speech, or message.
I used to live in Washington D.C., and even though it has been an extremely long time since I have lived there, I will never forget the Lincoln Memorial. I can see the pathway of water and the white stone everywhere in my mind’s eye today. That place is certainly unforgettable, and I am definitely proof of that statement.