The Speech: The Story Behind Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Dream

Praise for Gary Younge'sStranger in a Strange Land: Encounters in the Disunited States:

"Abroad in America, Gary Younge is an acutely skeptical observer."—Jonathan Raban

"Gary Younge is an excellent journalist—a critical writer at a critical time."—Andrea Levy

"One of the tiny handful of contemporary journalists left who is consistently worth reading. A voice for our times."—Stuart Hall

Praise for No Place Like Home: A Black Briton's Journey Through the American South:

"Younge's book is a blend of travelogue, historical research, and social commentary leavened with the sharp eyes and tongue of an outsider examining the American racial milieu."—Booklist

Praise for Who Are We—And Should it Matter:

"Penetrating and provocative."—The Guardian

It was a sweltering eighty-seven degrees when Martin Luther King took the stage at the Lincoln Memorial in 1963. He was the final speaker after a long day. The crowd, which numbered in the tens of thousands, had begun to leave.

King took a deep breath and threw back his shoulders.

"I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream."

Martin Luther King, Jr., delivered his powerful "I Have a Dream" speech on August 28, 1963. Fifty years later, The Speech endures as a defining moment in the Civil Rights movement. It continues to be heralded as a beacon in the ongoing struggle for racial equality. This gripping book unearths the fascinating chronicle behind The Speech and the revealing events surrounding the march on Washington.

Gary Younge is an author, broadcaster, and award-winning columnist for the Guardian and the Nation. His books include Who are We—And Should it Matter In the 21st Century and No Place Like Home, shortlisted for the Guardian first book award.

This gripping book is rooted in new and important interviews with Clarence Jones, a close friend of and draft speechwriter for Martin Luther King Jr., and Joan Baez, a singer at the march, as well as Angela Davis and other leading civil rights leaders. It brings to life the fascinating chronicle behind “The Speech” and other events surrounding the March on Washington. Younge skillfully captures the spirit of that historic day in Washington and offers a new generation of readers a critical modern analysis of why “I Have a Dream” remains Americas favorite speech.

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"It was over eighty degrees when Martin Luther King Jr. took the stage at the Lincoln Memorial in 1963. King was the last speaker. By the time he reached the podium, many in the crowd had started to leave. Not all those who remained could hear him properly, but those who could stood rapt. 'Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed,' said King as though he were wrapping up. 'Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.' Then he set his prepared text aside. [Clarence] Jones saw his stance turn from lecturer to preacher. He turned to the person next to him: 'Those people dont know it but theyre about to go to church.' A smattering of applause filled a pause more pregnant than most. 'So even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream.'”

—from the introduction