Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. – I Have a Dream!

In honor of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday, to be celebrated on Jan. 20, here is his most famous speech.   It was given at the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963, at the conclusion of the "March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom."  Over 250,000 people attended. Rev. King, a Baptist minister who preached non violence, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964.  

At the rally in 1963, he was introduced as "the moral leader of our nation."  What many people don’t know is that when he was more than halfway into his prepared speech, Mahalia Jackson, King’s favorite gospel singer, cried out to him, ""Tell them about the dream, Martin! Tell them about the dream."

Rev. King set aside his written notes, and went on to ad-lib one of the most famous speeches in history.  

 

See also:

Watch the "I Have a Dream" Speech

Civil Rights March on Washington

MLK: 1964 the Year a Freedom Fighter became Nobel Peace Prize Laureate

The Assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.