Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
The "I Have a Dream" speech is one of Martin Luther King Jr.'s most iconic speeches delivered during the 1963 March on Washington. It calls for an end to racism and envisions a future of equality and justice.
Related terms
Civil Rights Act of 1964: This landmark legislation outlawed racial segregation and discrimination in public facilities, employment, and education.
March on Washington: The March on Washington was a massive civil rights demonstration in 1963 where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech.
Rhetoric refers to the art of effective communication, including persuasive techniques used in speeches or writing to influence an audience's beliefs or actions.