Free at Last: The Language of Dr. King’s Dream

About this curriculum

In Free at Last , Michael examines Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, looking at the poetry, grammar, and vocabulary of the most important modern statement of America’s commitment to the equality of its citizens. The speech is a masterpiece, and this book explores its construction in depth. Free at Last examines Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, looking at the poetry, grammar, and vocabulary of the most important modern statement of America’s commitment to the equality of its citizens. In this book, Michael shows how powerful emotion is enhanced by repeated ideas and words. Dr. King’s vision of the future and great call to freedom were further achieved by carefully chosen vocabulary conjured by metaphor; by the poetics of meter, alliteration, and assonance; and by other carefully selected grammatical devices. The speech is a masterpiece, and this book explores its construction in depth. The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom took place on August 28, 1963. Its purpose was to draw attention to the injustice of segregation and to push for jobs and economic equality…