The Inspirations Behind "I Have A Dream" Speech

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To commemorate the 50th anniversary of one of the greatest speeches ever given, please click here for a concise summation of the historical, biblical and contemporary elements of that time Dr. King used for literary and dramatic effect-- plus, the site has a recording of "The Speech." Although the speech will forever be inspirational to everyone, playwrights may want to bookmark this short analysis of the magic behind the words to remind themselves of the importance of being "well-rounded" with history and literature and how the use of rhythm and cadence in the spoken word can lift prosaic dialogue from the street and transform it into the lyrical language found in full-on Gospel pulpits and occasionally on the stage, its last bastion outside of the church.