How to Discuss Martin Luther King's Speeches

Martin Luther King, Jr. was not only one of the most important and influential persons in American History, he was also one of history's greatest orators. With some study you can discuss the both the importance and talent involved in Martin Luther King Jr.'s speeches. Read on to learn how to discuss Martin Luther King Jr.'s speeches.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Study the life and work of Martin Luther King, Jr. To understand the proper context of the speeches, you must examine the situations in which they were delivered. Learn about his life and work on The King Center website.
2. Visit the American Rhetoric site to learn more about the power of persuasive speech and its use. Check out the "For Scholars" section from the main menu for educational resources on rhetorical speech.
3. Read Martin Luther King, Jr.'s speeches online. Reading the speeches can aid you in comprehending their meanings when listening or watching the speeches. Read Martin Luther King Jr.'s most famous speeches by going to the MLK Online website and clicking on "Speeches." The full text of each speech is provided.
4. Listen to Martin Luther King Jr's speeches online. Go to the American Rhetoric website and choose "Speech Bank" from the main menu. From there you can navigate to Martin Luther King Jr. speeches. The speeches are in alphabetical order according to the speaker's first name.
5. Seek out people to discuss the speeches with. Find knowledgeable scholars such as American History professors at universities, but also anyone who lived during the 1950s and 1960s. Also find interested young people who want to learn more about Martin Luther King Jr. to discuss the speeches with.
6. Pay special attention to the "I Have a Dream" and "I've Been to the Mountain Top" speeches. These are widely considered Martin Luther King, Jr.'s greatest speeches. "I've Been to the Mountain Top" was his last speech and "I Have a Dream" was the speech he delivered at the March on Washington.