Name:__________________________________________________

Fifty Years Ago- Aug. 28, 1963

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivers the I Have a Dream speech in
Washington, DC
(1)
(2)

Fifty years ago, the United States was going through a time of racial tension and change.

On August 28, 1963, nearly a quarter of a million people converged on the mall in Washington D.C. for

the March for Jobs and Freedom, commonly called the March on Washington. (3) The purpose of the
march was to encourage President Kennedy to initiate a civil rights bill in Congress as well as raise the
minimum wage. (4) From the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, singers, actors, politicians, and civil rights
leaders gave many speeches and performed, but Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered the most
memorable speech of the day, his I Have a Dream speech.
(5)

King had given versions of the I Have a Dream Speech many times before the March in

Washington.

(6)

One time was in Rocky Mountain, NC, on November 22, 1962.

(7)

Another time was

earlier in Detroit, on June 23, 1963. (8) The speech was not always exactly the same, but varied slightly to
fit the location. (9) King stayed up until 3:30 AM working on the draft he would use in Washington, DC.
(10)

In this draft, he omitted the passages that included the I Have a Dream phrases, thinking that his

speech would be too long.

(11)

King began his speech by reading from the manuscript, but towards the middle decided to

stray from the printed copy. (12) Many accounts of spectators in attendance said that Mahalia Jackson, a
gospel singer, repeatedly called out for him to tell them about the dream. (13) Nine times, he proclaimed
the now famous phrase, I have a dream. (14) His dream included living out the creed of all men being
equal, not being judged by skin color, and black boys and girls walking hand in hand with white boys
and girls.

(15)

At the conclusion of his speech, he gave the typed copy to George Raveling, who was

working as a security guard.

(16)

This speech is one of the best and most inspiring American speeches.

Bibliography:
www.freep.com Kings I Have a Dream speech that moved a nation almost took another path.
mlk-kppol.stanford.edu I Have a Dream
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: The I Have a Dream Speech

Name:______________________________________________ I Have a Dream Questions

1. What is the author's purpose for this text? _____
a) persuade
b) inform
c) entertain
d) convince
2. Which sentence in the first paragraph gives the main idea of the passage? _____
a) sentence 1
b) sentence 2
c) sentence 3
d) sentence 4
3. In sentence 10, what word(s) could be used to replace omitted? _____
a) left out
b) included
c) changed
d) wrote
4. Which sentence from the last paragraph can be removed without affecting the main idea of the
paragraph?______
a) sentence 13
b) sentence 14
c) sentence 15
d) sentence 16
5. Which sentence from the last paragraph gives an opinion, not a fact? _____
a) sentence 13
b) sentence 14
c) sentence 15
d) sentence 16
6. Many historians say that this speech was delivered symbolically on the steps of the Lincoln
Memorial. What makes this location symbolic for the speech?
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7. Do you believe that Martin Luther King, Jrs dream for racial equality has been achieved? Explain
your answer.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
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Name:________KEY____________________________ I Have a Dream Questions

1. What is the author's purpose for this text? _B__
a) persuade
b) inform
c) entertain
d) convince
2. Which sentence in the first paragraph gives the main idea of the passage? _D__
a) sentence 1
b) sentence 2
c) sentence 3
d) sentence 4
3. In sentence 10, what word(s) could be used to replace omitted? _A___
a) left out
b) included
c) changed
d) wrote
4. Which sentence from the last paragraph can be removed without affecting the main idea of the
paragraph?__C___
a) sentence 13
b) sentence 14
c) sentence 15
d) sentence 16
5. Which sentence from the last paragraph gives an opinion, not a fact? _D___
a) sentence 13
b) sentence 14
c) sentence 15
d) sentence 16
6. Many historians say that this speech was delivered symbolically on the steps of the Lincoln
Memorial. What makes this location symbolic for the speech?
This speech for equality and civil rights was given in front of President Lincolns memorial, the president
who signed the Emancipation Proclamation, ending slavery in America.
7. Do you believe that Martin Luther King, Jrs dream for racial equality has been achieved? Explain
your answer.

Answers will vary.