One of Martin Luther King Jr.'s greatest strengths as a leader was his eloquence. His writings contained deep thoughts and powerful images, yet they rarely soared over the reader's head. His speeches were delivered in a dramatic and serious voice, and inspired enormous crowds to fight in the struggle for civil rights.
He delivered his most famous speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., on August 28, 1963. The speech is called "I Have a Dream." Click here to read it.
Earlier the same year, he wrote a response to criticism of his work by fellow clergymen. Amazingly, he wrote the letter from a jail in Birmingham, Alabama. "Letter From a Birmingham Jail" is a thorough defense of non-violent methods and a passionate explanation of the urgency of civil rights. Click here to read a short excerpt of the letter.
