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How Martin Luther King’s ‘Dream’ speech almost didn’t happen

Prompted by an audience member, the civil rights leader improvised the most famous part of his “I Have a Dream” speech.

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How Martin Luther King’s ‘Dream’ speech almost didn’t happen
By Danylo Hawaleshka
Published On 28 Aug 2023

History Illustrated is a weekly series of insightful perspectives that puts news events and current affairs into historical context using graphics generated with artificial intelligence.

How Martin Luther King’s ‘Dream’ speech almost didn’t happen
Martin Luther King Jr. is famous for his “I Have a Dream” speech, but less well-known is that the speech almost didn’t happen.
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How Martin Luther King’s ‘Dream’ speech almost didn’t happen
On August 28, 1963, the Baptist preacher and civil rights leader stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, looking out on a sea of humanity.
How Martin Luther King’s ‘Dream’ speech almost didn’t happen
People were there because they had had enough: Enough of racism, enough of poverty, enough of violence. And they needed it to stop.
How Martin Luther King’s ‘Dream’ speech almost didn’t happen
President Kennedy wasn’t sure about the protest. He said it was “ill-timed”, and could make it more difficult to pass the Civil Rights Act.
How Martin Luther King’s ‘Dream’ speech almost didn’t happen
But King and the other civil rights leaders disagreed. The march would take place, they said, whether the president liked it or not.
How Martin Luther King’s ‘Dream’ speech almost didn’t happen
On the day, gospel singer Mahalia Jackson performed, before taking her seat within earshot of the podium.
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How Martin Luther King’s ‘Dream’ speech almost didn’t happen
King began to read from a prepared text but then Jackson, who had previously heard the reverend speak about his “dream”, shouted at King.
How Martin Luther King’s ‘Dream’ speech almost didn’t happen
King paused, set his written remarks aside and spontaneously launched into what would make his speech one of the great speeches of all time.
How Martin Luther King’s ‘Dream’ speech almost didn’t happen
King closed his address by saying that once Black people achieve freedom …