Notes in journal
Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968)
1) 1955 Dr. King led the greatest non-violent demonstration of its kind in the US-The Montgomery Bus Boycott (Montgomery, Alabama—People (whites and blacks) did not ride (boycotted) using the bus for transportation to and from work, and other occasions, to demonstrate the unfair practice of segregated buses) against segregated busing. (Segregated busing--blacks sat in back and whites sat in front)
a) Lasted for 382 days
b) Ending when the Supreme Court ruled that segregated busing was unconstitutional
c) The ruling showed that nonviolent actions can achieve results and it established King as the foremost leader in the civil rights movement.
2) Baptist minister—committed to nonviolent protest as a way of achieving social justice
a) The entire country and world watched the organizers of the Montgomery Bus Boycott—King stirred protestors with powerful speeches and strong words of encouragement
b) The price he paid
i) His home was bombed
ii) He was arrested several times
c) Remained committed to the social cause that led to the March on Washington
i) Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize 1964
ii) Passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
3) Assassination 1968
Remember…..
We are comparing three mediums of information: speech, analysis of the speech, and short video about the March on Washington (keep in mind the performance task question: Should freedom be given or taken?)
“I Have A Dream” Martin Luther King, Jr. (Lexile: 1120 L)
Before the second read…..
Questions to consider
1) Advantages and Disadvantages for each medium
2) Why might it be important for you to read the text of Dr. King’s speech, rather than simply read an analysis and watch a video about it
Share thoughts-take notes on why you agree or disagree with speakers from class
Please focus on the “as you read” note on page 48: “Note ways in which Dr. King uses words and phrases to inspire his audience. Write down any questions you have.”
Answer questions as you read
1) Analyze Seminal U.S. Documents (a document or speech that has helped shape the country and its people) King’s speech helped people propel the civil right movement, changing our laws and our ideas about equality. Analyzing the speech, you must determine its purpose, or the reason the speaker delivered the speech.
Cite text evidence: cite the lines that state King’s purpose. What are other U.S. seminal documents that King cites in his speech?
2) Analyze Author’s use of Rhetoric (Rhetoric devices appear throughout King’s speech. They are techniques that writers use to enhance arguments and convey ideas. An example is an extended metaphor, or a comparison between two unlike things that is explored in some depth.)
Reread line 17-31 and notice the extended metaphor King uses. What is the meaning of this metaphor?
3) Analyze Seminal U.S. Documents (King’s speech is especially significant because it was made in 1963 on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial; one hundred years after Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. (The argument to free slaves in the south))
Cite Text Evidence: Cite the line in which King refers to where he is giving the speech. What does he mean by the reference?
4) Analyze Author’s Use of Rhetoric (Another rhetorical device repetition. In King’s speech, he uses repetition, saying a word or phrase over and over for emphasis.)
Cite text evidence: Cite the repeated phrase in lines 70-80. What effect does this repetition provide?
5) Analyze Author’s Use of Rhetoric (another rhetorical device: Parallelism—a repeated use of the same grammatical construction to express ideas that are equal in importance—“we can not be satisfied…we are not satisfied…we will not be satisfied.” (Line 78-81)—often employs repetition)
Cite text evidence: Point to other uses of parallelism on page 50. Explain what King’s use of parallelism and repetition in lines 89-91 emphasizes.
6) Analyze Author’s Use of Rhetoric (the use of parallelism and repetition can affect the meaning and tone of a speech. Tone is the author’s attitude toward the subject and audience. The tone of a speech can be angry, encouraging, even funny)
What tone is apparent in the most famous section of King’s speech, in which he repeats “I have a dream?” Explain how this tone affects the meaning of the speech.
7) Analyze Seminal U.S. Documents: (Analyzing a seminal speech involves determining its theme or themes, or the central message(s) the speaker wants to convey. Determining a speech’s theme requires you to think about the speech’s context as your analyze the words.)
Look at lines 120-131. What “faith” King is referring to? What new meaning does King expect Americans to find in the words of “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee”? Discuss how the content of the speech, including years of inequality and nonviolent resistance, coupled with an analysis of his words, helps illuminate a theme.
8) Analyze Author’s Use of Rhetoric
Look at the repetition in lines 132-140 of “let freedom ring.” Discuss how the repetition of these words and the parallelism of the clauses affect the meaning of the passage.