Kairos in MLK's "I Have a Dream Speech"

When you talk about the civil rights movement, you cannot go on with your discussion without mentioning this speech. This was not just a pillar of the civil rights movement, but considered one of the greatest speeches of all time. MLK achieved this through his kairos, and he used some clever tricks to get the timing just right.

The speech takes place in the nation's capital, Washington, D.C. It is given following the March on Washington, which gathered 250,000 people to watch MLK give his speech. This speech is given at the apex of one of the biggest political demonstrations in the nation. It is given in the shadow of the Lincoln memorial, the statue of the man who signed the Emancipation proclamation in 1863. His presence inserted more gravitas in this monumental speech.

MLK also mastered the art of timing to make his rhetoric more effective. The speech took place in 1963, the centennial year of the signing of the Emancipation proclamation. MLK mentions this repeatedly in his speech, and it only adds to the effectiveness of his karios.

Stasis Theory in MLK's "I Have a Dream" Speech

In Dr. Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech, Dr. King addresses the problem of inequality in America, and challenges black men to protest for equal rights. Dr. King elaborated on the issue by stating that even though the Emancipation Proclamation brought hope to millions of black slaves, it was not enough because blacks were still not being treated fairly. Police were brutal to blacks, blacks were not allowed to vote, and facilities for blacks and whites were segregated. Instead of being satisfied with insignificant change like going from small ghettos to larger ones, Dr. King thought they should fight until all men are treated equally as the Constitution intended. Dr. King also believed that blacks should address this issue through peaceful protest. In his speech he says, "We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline." He believes that once blacks in America are also able to achieve the American Dream the same way as whites can, then they can say they are truly free.

-Bilen Tirfe

Kairos in "The Ballot or the Bullet"

The historical background of Malcolm X's speech is shrouded in the entirety of the civil rights movement. The speech was told in the spring of 1964, near the peak of the movement, only a year after the events in Selma and the march on Washington. At this point, X made himself very prominent on TV and the news with his views on the superiority of the black race, as well as his derivation from the civil rights movement, believing that a separation between the races is what is best for the African American people. These views are heavily influenced by his conversion to the Nation of Islam, back in 1948, since their views are that which X was advocating for to the anyone who would listen. The speech, however, is also made about one month after X broke from the Nation of Islam, and started inclining more towards Dr. King's ideas of unity between the races. This is shown in the speech, as his focal points touch base on the importance of exercising caution when voting for the white man, as the ties between the two groups are important for the future of the country. In regards to government, the white male ruled most of the supreme court and congress, making it difficult towards people of color to get a say in the law. This white predominance is what causes X to speak up about the importance of voting.

-Yoseph T.

Stasis Theory in "The Ballot or the Bullet"

The main point being made by Malcolm X in his 1964 speech, "The Ballot or the Bullet" is that African Americans are not being given the rights they deserve and they should take action to ensure these rights themselves whether it's through political nonviolent means or through more aggressive and potentially violent means. Equality must be achieved through either "the ballot or the bullet". Malcolm spent much of the speech defining the issue; he stated that those in power, "the white man", are conspiring against the African Americans and will continue to delay and lie instead of giving African Americans the rights they should have always had. Malcolm stated the importance of this issue by pointing out the years of hard work, blood and sweat that African Americans contributed to the success of America and were rewarded with less than nothing. Malcolm demanded action from his fellow African Americans and repeatedly emphasized that if things do not change immediately then changes will be made to end the oppression through drastic means. He proposed drawing international attention by bringing the injustices against African Americans to the U.N. as a human rights issue. Malcolm argued that no longer should the issue be handled by the whites in power, instead blacks should take things into their own hands by running and enriching their own communities independent from the whites who ran and controlled them for decades.

-Chris Burns