The opening of the speech which describes President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation which suggests that the slave was not completely freed because of the setbacks placed upon the African American community. The allusion allows the audience to realize what hasn’t happened that was promised to the African American citizens “freedom and equality”. The repetition of “but one hundred years later” explains how the Negro is still not free, but is crippled living exile on its own land. King uses anaphora to remind his listeners that "one hundred years later" the descendants of freed slaves are still struggling to achieve basic
Martin Luther King Jr. helped shape the society we live today and continues to have an influence on civil rights reforms today. Many philanthropic groups have formed to carry out the visions inspired by Martin Luther King Jr. such as The King Center, NAACP and the National Civil Rights Museum. I believe that Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights Movement represented a positive social change on American society today. Without them, society today would not be what it is today; People would not be able to walk proud and live in peace and equality and be happy with who they were regardless of race. While I still feel that society has a long way to go in regards to discrimination of race I feel that we have also come a long way.
A Leader, one who can instill passion and direction to an individual or group of individuals My idea of leadership is being able to inspire others, motivate, set a vision, communicate, respect others, and of course, lead by example. A leader must have an honest understanding of who they are, what they know, and what they are capable of. To be a successful leader, you have to be able to convince your followers, not just yourself or your superiors, that you are worthy of being followed. In my opinion, this can build confidence in their followers to have faith in you, in order to be able to lead. I strongly believe that good leaders are made rather, and not born.
Douglass delivers his speech in front of “[the] President, [friends] and [his fellow citizens]” on the 5th of July in 1852 during the rise of the Civil War (Douglass). In his compelling speech, Douglass, an African American activist, is invited to deliver an oration about the Fourth of July. In his favor, he does not speak much about the United States of America’s freedom; instead Douglass speaks of the horrifying lives of slaves, like his expressed words above, and that how the Fourth of July is a “mockery” of the slaves and himself. He lays out the hardships of an un-freed slave throughout his oration by utilizing an accusing tone, allusions, and distinctive personal experiences to answer his question for his audience: “what to the American slave is the Fourth of July”? To begin, Douglass is an emancipated slave who believes in the abolition of slavery.
Influential African American Leaders Leadership is a position everyone desires to have in life, but with the title comes great responsibility. We have been honored to have great African American leaders both in the past and present. There are several skills that a leader must possess, but one of the most vital skills I believe a leader should have is the ability to communicate. Booker T. Washington, Marcus Garvey, and President Barak Obama are great examples of how rhetorical speeches will not only persuade an audience, but will draw the support that is needed to fulfill an assignment. In this essay, I will discuss the rhetorical strategies that these men used in order to communicate their message effectively to their audience(s).
My voice matters because without it, how would I be able to communicate? If I didn't have a voice how am I to be heard? My voice matters because it is the key to be heard, I can express my opinions and thoughts, and with it I can stand up for myself and others. My voice matters because it is the key to be heard. Being heard can change the world around you and the people as well.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s skillful and knowledgeable use of rhetorical modes made his “I Have a Dream” speech one of the most influential and meaningful speeches of all time. This speech was a huge turning point for African Americans in American history and recognized the problem of segregation. He not only inspired, motivated, and informed America of the problem, he evoked a change in the American people and soon after changed history. This speech used authority, factual data, and most importantly metaphorical language to influence and inform
King has used this device to validate the statements he is making directly following the quote. Some of the more powerful allusions used during this speech are from Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson, both highly respected white men. “Five score years ago” was written in a way to draw attention to Lincoln. Those words are particularly meaningful because Kings Speech was giving in front of Lincoln memorial. Kings mention of the Emancipation Proclamation was to bring the spectators back to 1865 when Lincoln himself, who was not only morally opposed to slavery, however, was a President who defeated the matter of slavery in the south.
President Obama started his speech with a catch by naming one of his heroes, the civil rights leader John Lewis. This created a satisfactory level of personalization that was strengthened when he linked the Selma Marches to his “way to the Oval Office.” Since Obama was addressing millions of Americans across the country, he tried to maintain a level of formality as president. He also achieved a good level of simplicity and directness that made his message easier to be understood by ordinary citizens from different backgrounds. In addition, he influenced a wide range of audience by using a narrative approach telling the story of America in general and Selma in particular. The speech’s significance is apparent in the good choice of place (Edmund Pettus Bridge) and time (50th anniversary).
President elects Barack Obama uses a variety of techniques to address and unify his audience. Obamas use of second person, directly making reference of his audience, tonight is your answer...it belongs to you...it cannot happen without you, is cleverly employed to demonstrate the importance of the individual and how his victory and future effort to change America will rely on the efforts of the collective. In the mind of his audience, it is used to make people feel a sense of belonging, having their presence acknowledged. In his speech, Obama makes several intersexual references to inspirational orators of the past. One such example is Martin Luther King, the road ahead will be long...we will get there where Obama creates the sense that it will be a tough, arduous journey ahead of America in undoing the damage done by past leadership.