The Evolution of Human Speech

Who was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr?

1st Read – What is the main idea? What is the speaker basically trying to say? Who is the speaker addressing (talking to)? Why is the speaker giving this speech?

2nd – Read: Number each paragraph. P2 – Score is an old word for the number 20. How many years is 5 score? What happened 5 score years ago? What does this mean for slaves? What metaphor does King use to describe the change? P3 – What do African Americans still face 100 years after slavery has ended. What metaphor does King use to describe their life? What do “languished” and “exile” mean? P4&5 – What is the job of an architect? What does “promissory” mean? “To fall heir” means to inherit something or to have something passed down to you. What was every American supposed to have passed down to him/her? P5- what does “inalienable” mean? What document is King referencing?

3rd Read P6 - “It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check; a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds.“ Based on the context, does “defaulted” mean to succeed or fail? If someone pays you with a check, but they do not have money in their bank account, when you go to the bank to cash the check the person will say there are “insufficient funds” and you will not get your money for the check. What does “insufficient funds” mean? Dr. King compares note keeping the promise of equality to giving someone a check that cannot be exchanged for money. What do you call this type of comparison?

3rd Read P7 – “But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. So we have come to cash this check- a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.” If something is bankrupt it is out of money. King says they do not believe the bank of justice is out of money. He says African Americans are going to “cash their check” anyways. They don’t want money. What do they want? Is the bank of justice a real place? What he the bank of justice represent/ stand for?

3rd Read P8- “We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism.” What does hallowed mean? What is special about the spot where they are gathered? “Gradualism” means to do things slowly over time. Look up any words you need to. Why might King want to change things NOW and not slowly over time?

3rd Read P9- “Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.” What is justice? Use the table to compare the negative and positive language King uses. Negative Positive segregation racial justice

P10- What do spring and summer represent. Which one is positive P10- What do spring and summer represent? Which one is positive? “Tranquility” means peace. When will there be tranquility in America? P11 – What advice is King giving to African Americans? What should they do if people are violent towards them? P12 – Are all white people racist at this time? What evidence supports your answer?

Final Read – Speech and Notebook Read page 2 with your table. As you read, highlight all places Dr. King mentions in P1-P11. Using the map on the next screen, what do these states have in common? Why would he mention these places? What document is King referencing in P7? Why would he mention that document? Read P9, what could “oppression” mean? Do NOT use google! Read P10, what could “content” mean? Do NOT use google! How is page one of the speech different from page 2?