Comparing Speeches Of Fredrick Douglas And Martin Luther King Jr.

Mrs.Lyons

The Escape from Oppression

Fredrick Douglas and Martin Luther King Jr both witnessed and felt the segregation and oppression the United States was known for. On August 28, 1963 Martin Luther King Jr made a speech about how he dreamed the United States would become a country where the segregation of black and whites would no longer exist. That we would all have equal freedom. In Fredrick

Douglas’s speech he also spoke about freedom in this country. He spoke on July 5th saying “How are we the ones celebrating freedom but there are still millions whose chains are heavy.” Both men utilized Pathos, imagery, and description to emphasize their crusade.

In both speeches, Martin Luther King Jr and Fredrick Douglas both used Pathos

throughout

Both of their mindsets stayed the same throughout. In their writings 2 nd and 3rd paragraphs in Douglas’s speech his words are emotional and Martin Luther King Jr relies on more of the emphasis of his words. Emphasis and emotion really made each speech strong and exciting.

Fredrick Douglas and Martin Luther King Jr used imagery throughout their speeches.

Especially Martin Luther King’s speech. He spoke “The sunlight that brought light and healing to you, has brought stripes and death to me.” What Martin Luther King Jr is eluding to is the freedom the white people and the discrimination has brought death to “his people.” Fredrick

Douglas closely related the imagery of Martin Luther King Jr, he said “The momentous decree is a great beacon light of hope to millions of negro slaves who had been seared by the flames of withering injustice.” They both use the imagery of the burdens the African Americans felt during the times they were enslaved and freed. The strong passion and imagery King and Douglas used through the speeches helps the reader understand and feel like they were there, it makes that connection with the past and what the speaker