Martin Luther King Let Freedom Ring

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"Let freedom ring!" This is a popular saying that we as Americans tend to say. The question is though is it completely true? Since the beginning of the United States, Americans have stubbornly denied the African-American race the equality to which they are entitled. Many influential people have made a huge difference in trying to remedy that situation. One extremely influential man that changed the face of equality was Martin Luther King Junior. King's noteworthy I Have a Dream speech contributed greatly to the Civil Rights Movement. King gave his I Have a Dream speech on August 28, 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C.. He had touched on the topic of the American Dream in many of his other speeches and sermons, but in this one…show more content…
It was one of many speeches he had given in order to gain racial equality in America. In this speech, he recites the lyrics to My Country Tis' of Thee, "My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride, From every mountainside, let freedom ring!" (Smith). In doing this, King establishes a common ground with his audience. Most Americans know and understand the lyrics to the song. It talks about how America is a land of freedom or a refuge spot. It also shows some of his personality through his choice of song. It encompasses everything that he believes and shows what he thinks America should truly be. He also brings a significant part of his life into his speech. He talks about his family. "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character" (King). This establishes and shows his passion in his fight to gain the respect and equality that is deserved to their race. This puts emphasis on how he will not stop until he has achieved his goal. He also uses repetition to emphasize his points and to use these phrases as bullet points. In the paragraphs of the speech, he includes at least one phrase. A few of the phrases are "One hundred years later", "Now is the time", "We can never be satisfied", "I have a dream", and from My Country Tis' of…show more content…
It is a terrible thing that it still lingers. The events of the past summer in Ferguson, Missouri, were an example of how certain actions can be blown out of proportion. Although the whole story, with all the details, is still not completely known, America saw all racism come out. Whether the racism was Caucasian against African-American or vise versa, it is a gut wrenching feeling to know that a lot of the fighting was based in racism. Luckily, is not that way all that time. America has made great progress. I see this first hand in my school. Mercy High School is a diversified school. King contributed greatly so that this is possible. We do not discriminate based on race. We are bound together by our character, traditions, and our teachers. High school is sometimes said to be the best times of our lives and with out Civil Rights or King it would be the worse time for a lot of children's lives. From grade school to high school I have been taught about King and I am more grateful each year. He has contributed so much to our country and has made it possible for me to have amazing friends who are African-American, Asian, Hispanic, or any other race. He has taken one more step towards world peace and freedom for
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