How MLK's Speech Changed The Minds Of Millions

The Honorable Martin Luther King Jr and his many works as it relates to the Civil Rights Movement created not only in America but the world, a fresh perspective on the equality of man. On August 23rd, 1963, a mere fifty-three years ago, the great Martin Luther King delivered his famous I have a dream speech at Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. It was at that moment, Martin Luther changed the course of history forever, at that moment he planted the seed that would grow into the tree of freedom and observance of human equality for simply no other than one’s humanity.

Now many are taking Martin Luther King’s vigor and passion for civil rights as a mark of his own character and it was to some extent, but it is only fair to also observe that Martin Luther King was merely completing that which was started by President Abraham Lincoln, sixteenth president of the United States of America. As highlighted in the emphatic words of Dr. King, at the very beginning of his praiseworthy speech, he mentions the Emancipation Proclamation declared by President Abraham Lincoln just fifty years prior. In order to understand the richness and depth of Dr. King's words, we must truly delve ourselves in remembrance of the tumultuous battle for racial equality, the history of colonialism and the West African slave trade.

Martin Luther King standing at the Nation’s capital as he reiterated in his delivery of the most powerful speech known to man, allowed the descendants of negro slaves, the descendants of the white colonial masters to fully understand their history of turmoil and the importance of mending bridges to birth a better and peaceful tomorrow. Dr. King is his delivery showed the world that though segregation and discrimination were very much present, though segregation and discrimination may have been as a direct result of slavery, Dr. King showed that a life of unity, equality, respect and peace was and still is possible. Dr. King showed that love and respect of fellow brothers and sisters regardless of skin color is the end game.

The life of Martin Luther King and more specifically his address at Lincoln Memorial, left the world with a vision to which it can make stride towards, he left the world with an understanding that we need not be violent to make a difference, that one man can change the world, which gave many other civil rights leaders the momentum to fight towards a better tomorrow. Dr. King broadened the world’s understanding of what it means to achieve freedom and equality and forever etched in the hearts of millions that regardless of where your walk may be in life, regardless of the color of your skin, that we are all equal and free to serve our community; for if it were not for the legendary Martin Luther King, the world would not know the likes of Barack Obama, Condoleezza Rice, and a whole lot more. Martin Luther King paved the way to a more enlightened global community.