Is Dr. Martin Luther King's I Ve Been To The Mountaintop Speech?
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On January 15, 1929, a man was born who contributed to the change of the American nation. A man that stood up for equality, peace, and justice. Famous for his nonviolent resistance and striving to end segregation in the South. He was amongst the greatest activist during the Civil Rights Movement. His powerful words led to an increase of freedoms for the African American community and tolerance for all Americans. His name was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In this paper, I will be discussing his “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech. His use of biblical references, near death experience, and the promise land.
On the night of April 3, 1968 [,] Martin Luther King Jr. entered Mason Temple in Memphis and unfurled “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” (Miller 3). This was the last speech delivered by King, which addressed the Memphis Sanitation Workers Strike in 1968 ("Memphis Sanitation Workers Strike (1968)"). During this period, African American employees experienced a long pattern of neglect and abuse. On 1 February 1968, two Memphis garbage collectors, Echol Cole and Robert Walker, were crushed to death by a malfunctioning truck (Memphis Sanitation Workers Strike (1968)). On February 12, 1968, sanitation workers in Memphis, Tennessee, began a labor strike to protest unfair wages, unsafe working…show more content… King received many death threats throughout the twelve years of the civil right movement. He reminds his supporters that he is not concerned with the threats on his life. Dr. King lived a life where he projected the “I” into the “thou”, and to be concerned about his brother (5). He realized the longevity of his life was coming to an abrupt end. He knew the consequences of standing up to social justices and standing out against bigotry in American society. Dr. King had seen the beauty of the promise land. So that his supporters will not be dispirited by his words of dismay. He tells them that he personally may not get there with them, but they will get there together as a