Why was Martin Luther King Jr.'s I Have a Dream speech important?

Answer 1

~Why don't you listen to it. Particularly the version he delivered at the March on Washington. Then learn a little about the context and the time. Then maybe you won't come off looking so ignorant for asking such a fool question.

Answer 2

Wow, I did not know racism was this alive and well. I was a child and I was present at this speech, I don't remember it the same way you kids do. The speech that I remember was one of hope, and a cry for people of all colors to accept one another. He was realistic that his generation, may not see the fruits of his labor, but he was hopeful that his children would. When he said that "he had a dream that his children would be known not by the color of their skin, but by their character", he was stating that racism would be a thing of the past, and that they would have to acheive by their merits. He did not want things handed to them, with a false sense of entitlement, but rather they would be "allowed" to work for their dreams and not be held back. I see that there is still racism, but we have made major improvements. When I was a child, de-segration in schools started, children of all colors started interacting together. That is when the real boundries start to fall away, by allowing the children to make friends with one another, because that is when we are innocent and do not know that we " shouldn't get along or that the races are not the same "; we just see another kid or a new friend. Now the races mingle freely with one another, they can be friends, marry, and have children. I think the next generation of children will do a lot to breaking down racial barriers. We have more children that are bi-racial, and they will be the ones to bring forth more change. I look forward to these changes.

Answer 3

That depends on your outlook on that speech. For blacks it was the start of getting equal rights. For whites it was the continuing racism that they had for blacks. Of course there again that depended on if you where from north of mason Dixon line or south of it. See like here in Vermont we don't have many blacks so the fight for equality might be something new to some of us from the 60's but to days people are more open although there are still parts of this country where racism is a part of life. But now we have a new group of people to hate and that is the Muslim world. Cause of 9-11 but if someone from their religion tried an I have a dream speech today I don't know what would happen. So guess it depended on who you were at the time as to why his speech was important.

Answer 4

First of all who ever said that it didn't mean a thing to them must not know about black history.I'm 14 and i think that it was important because he had the power and the up-most courage to do something that not even a black president would say to a white bastard!!!!!!!It was the beginning of our freedom and end of our troubles.It brought light to our destiny.And it took the light back from those haters.We fought for a long time and Martin Luther King wasn't the only person involved in the civil rights movement.He really was the one that put the spark to the torch.Slavery went on for too long.July 4 wasn't black peoples revolution.The day that we snatched our freedom from those white bastards was our revolution.Look back on black history and see what great things my people have accomplished.Thanks for asking that question because it really opened my thoughts to see that not everyone see what both sides of the race see.

Answer 5

Because by the time he made that speech he and the other activists had been through so much hell just fighting for basic human rights. The passion and emotion in his powerful words moved a nation to action. Despite being brutalized and harassed beyond any reason he still stood for peace and brotherhood when others would have been plotting revenge.

Read his autobiography Edited by Clayborne Carson then come back and answer your own question.

Answer 6

Martin Luther King Jr. was important because he not only made a contribution to the civil rights movement, he did it peacefully. He did everything without violence, and what he preached, he lived by. That is why he is important. I am guessing that you are not black, (no offense) because it is really common knowledge that every person knows. Black, white, hispanic, asian, whatever.

Answer 7

he saw a vision that WHITE America was not trying to see the speech let it be known just how HUMBLE we can be even throw all the hatred we received&still do. That speach might gotten him killed.You see his dream was WHITE America's nightmare, black&white united they did not want that ****. As long as we try to understand eachother's culture his dream will oneday become a reality.

Answer 8

Did you ever go to school? Maybe read a book or two? Or learned anything at all about human rights?

Answer 9

It gave a voice to the civil rights struggle.

Answer 10

Because he had a dream while many people even do not dare to dream