# 52 Years Ago Today "I Have A Dream" Speech Was "born".



## Meanderer (Aug 28, 2015)

"The climax came in a 16 minute speech given by Dr Martin Luther King Jr, the undisputed leader of the Civil Rights Movement. Ironically, the transformative “dream speech” did not contain the passage that started with “I have a dream”. In the seventh paragraph, something extraordinary happened. King paused. ......

In that brief silence, Mahalia Jackson, a gospel singer and good friend of King’s, shouted “Tell ’em about the ‘dream.'” 

King pushed the text of his prepared remarks to one side of the lectern. He changed his course in a heartbeat, abandoning whatever final version he’d prepared…he’d given himself over to the spirit of the moment and improvised much of the second half of the speech. The text of the speech is an inspiration to read today".
http://www.hiraeth.wales/tag/martin-luther-king/







http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/20...-recalls-role-in-kings-i-have-a-dream-speech/


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## Ameriscot (Aug 28, 2015)

Amazing! I stood on the same spot where he made the speech while our guide played a recording of the speech.


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## Fern (Aug 28, 2015)

It was a memorable speech.


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## Meanderer (Aug 28, 2015)

"Indeed, if Martin Luther King, Jr., had a favorite opening act, it was Mahalia Jackson, who performed by his side many times. On August 28, 1963, as she took to the podium before an audience of 250,000 to give the last musical performance before Dr. King’s speech, Dr. King himself requested that she sing the gospel classic *“I’ve Been ‘Buked, and I’ve Been Scorned.” *Jackson was just as familiar with Dr. King’s repertoire as he was with hers, and just as King felt comfortable telling her what to sing as the lead-in to what would prove to be the most famous speech of his life, Jackson felt comfortable telling him in what direction to take that speech".
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-...pel-puts-her-stamp-on-the-march-on-washington


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## applecruncher (Aug 28, 2015)

I remember my dad talking to us about the importance of that speech.


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## Meanderer (Aug 28, 2015)

This version by Harry Belafonte, is easier to make out the words.


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## SeaBreeze (Aug 28, 2015)

I can't believe it was so long ago, great speech by a great man.  May he rest in peace.


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## Shalimar (Aug 28, 2015)

He was my first hero.


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