" I have a Dream " by Martin Luther King, Jr. is one of the most memorable speech of the 20th century. It was delivered on August 28,1963 before more than 250,000 people in front of the Lincoln memorial in Washington, D.C. His speech was delivered during the peak of the Civil Right movement. It was a part of the "March on Washington" for job and freedom. .
The demonstration was organised on the 100th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation to call attention to long suffered African - American and to push the Federal legislation to bring about changes. King starts of his speech by referring to Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. He uses this speech to remind everyone of the emancipation, which is "a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves". The speech is also used to remind everyone of the promise of the Declaration of Independence, which was the "inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness". However the coloured people are still suffering as segregation and discrimination still happens. He adds on that inequality is forcing blacks onto "a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity". The speech is also used to impose a non - violent movement in the pursuit of equal justice that is, a civil rights movement to meet each act of violence, attack, murder, or insult with a forgiving heart, a working hand and a hopeful dream for the future. This is seen when King states, "In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred". .
This speech uses several literary techniques which helps to boost up the already growing civil - rights movements across the country at that time. Martin Luther King, Jr. uses repetition and metaphor as his main devices. There are also other devices like, hyperbole and smile in the speech.