Literary Analysis-by Bobby Adams Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" The speech made by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. acknowledges the low level of freedom and respect black people had. His speech was widely known throughout the country and was very moving. In Dr. King Jr.'s speech, he discusses and asserts freedom and liberty for the black community, who have been treated so awfully, unfairly, and disrespectfully through the years. He claims to have a 'Dream' where all men are actually equal and not separated and segregated. A dream where Mississippi and the surrounding states has total freedom and justice.
(Wiki 1) The most significant question to answer after reading this article is: Why did Ellison feel it necessary to swear his oath of office on the Koran? His fellow minority congress members Johnson and Hirono, proclaimed Buddhists, swore in using the Bible. The Koran is defined as the central religious text of Islam. (Oxford 1) Renowned public speaker and author Dennis Prager said, “America, not Keith Ellison, decides what book a congressman takes his oath on.” (Prager 1) I will summarize this controversial article and provide my analysis. For many years congress members have followed the tradition of their incumbent.
Washington favors the humble, ask nicely, appreciate what you’re given, and say thank you approach to obtaining social equality. Washington addresses the issue with caution, in doing so he not only comes across as an advocate of Blacks gaining “all privileges of the law”(Up from Slavery, 457), but also of Blacks being prepared “for the exercises of these privileges.”(457) By taking this approach Washington is gaining the appeal within the black community as well as the white community. In contrast to this effective stance, Du Bois asks constantly with a loud and firm voice. Du Bois even goes as far as to say that if the Black community wants social equality they must simply complain. “Ceaseless agitation”( The Souls of Black Folk 563 ) he feels will do more in the fight for equality than “voluntarily throwing away”(563) the reasonable rights they are entitled to.
The quote inquires that a subliminal approach is taken in order to control the mind of African-Americans in every aspect of their lives, which is a brilliant point because African-Americans, from adolescent to adult, do not even bother to question why we as a people are in such a mediocritized state. I feel as if African-Americans get put in their “proper place” in society because of their ignorance to the fact that equality will be a never-ending issue. Black people need to develop a new-found sense of urgency, before we lose this battle by default. As time has passed over the years, racial oppression and discrimination have decreased from a national perspective, but is still brought up amongst the ranks of Black and White scholars. One of the most important points I believe Woodson made in his book is the following, “The same educational process which inspires and stimulates the oppressor
Also, as a Civil Rights leader he must convince the enemy to stop hating blacks. A brave step in the opposite direction, Campbell visits “Klan County.” He writes,” I made the trip to what was being referred to by Peter Young as Klan County” (Campbell 246). Will was crazy to go visit Klansmen who he was fighting against. The change, however, did no harm. Campbell says, “I didn’t lie to them and they didn’t lie to me.
Isaiah Ryder Withrow Dr. Neiworth English 95 Thursday, March 12, 2015 MLK Jr. The Fight against Segregation. On April 16, 1963, from the jail of Birmingham, Martin Luther King Jr., has written a letter addressed to several clergymen who had written him a letter criticizing the actions of Dr. King, and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) during the protests in Birmingham. Martian Luther King Jr. opens his letter in a subtly way “ If I sought to answer all the criticisms that crosses my desk, my securities would have little time for anything other than such correspondence in the course of the day, and I would have no time for constructive work. But since I feel that you are men of genuine good will and that your criticisms
To him, emancipation and the freedom of blacks- who now have some sense of control over their lives- was a milestone. I too agree that it was milestone, but unlike me, Washington was content to stay at that level of existence. After slavery, Whites were still very much in control of Black's lives and affairs. There was plenty of injustice and prejudice that led to an inequality in schooling. Washington sought to raise the bar in the Black community's education.
“Unnecessary Controversy” Unnecessary Controversy “Jims’ a nigger and wouldn’t understand it” (Twain 182). That’s what Huckleberry Finn says about Jim, a runaway slave that he is helping and as if black people are any less intelligent. The word “nigger” gives the story more meaning instead of what some people think offends the reader. Throughout the book, Huckleberry struggles with himself about whether he should be helping Jim or not and that struggle claws at the reader. Mark Twain, the author of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, made a good choice to include controversial words in the book to show racial injustice and should be taught in schools.
Shipler in his essay “Jefferson Is America and America Is Jefferson,” Jefferson represents the most powerful contradiction of American society, because his declaration of individual liberty showed the brilliance of his extraordinary mind but also he claims that black people are inferior. Shipler considers that Jefferson had a deep understanding but at the same time he was such an ignorant person about what was happen, at that time concerning liberty and slavery. Slavery was a contradictory subject in Jefferson’s life. Although he was a defender for individual freedom and at one point he was against of slavery in America, but he owned slaves throughout his life. He was a politician that would speak out about slavery but would still employ slaves for his own use.
It will be hard for actions that reflect irresponsibility to be accepted when there is such a powerful example of leadership of country and family daily being seen. It will be expected because it is being done. President Obama, the first lady and his family, will cause others to view African American families differently. However I believe the greatest effect will be in causing African American men and women to conduct self evaluation . Only through self examination can problems be discovered and worked on.