To make a compelling argument for change, you have to first make the case for why change is necessary. In 1963, many whites were asking what exactly African Americans wanted. America had already gotten rid of slavery and passed a Fourteenth Amendment. Wasn't that good enough? What else did they want?
These arguments are pretty hard to sell unless you have blinders on. Even today, economic inequality between the races is so pronounced that it's hard to make the case that America is an "equal" society, at least in economic terms. (Source) Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" points out several examples of continued repression, both racial and economic.
Questions About Repression
- What were the main forms of repression that Martin Luther King, Jr. was protesting in "I Have a Dream?"
- How were federal and state governments failing to protect citizenship rights for African Americans in the 1960s?
- Throughout American history, what are some forms of repression that leaders have fought against?
- Would you define repression as an economic phenomenon, a political one, or both?
Chew on This
Martin Luther King, Jr. believed that African Americans were shunted to the periphery of society by both poverty and racism.
Because of segregation and lack of educational opportunities, African Americans remained repressed in America even after the end of slavery.