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John F. Kennedy Compared to Martin Luther King Jr.

Decent Essays

Compare and Contrast Essay There have been many great speeches delivered in the past. Some of the best ones demonstrated why our our freedoms, our liberty, and to be united as a country, is so important. John F. Kennedy’s “Inaugural Address” and Martin Luther King Junior’s “I Have a Dream” are both great examples of such historical speeches. Both these speeches have many similarities such as, referencing the past, wanting change to happen, and both desired peace. Yet with all these similarities, each one had a different style, was given to different audiences, and about different topics. In Kennedy’s “Inaugural Address”, he is expressing how the country needs to be united and “…anew the quest for peace” (11), with our enemies. King’s …show more content…

I have a dream today!” (King 3) The recurrence of this expression shows his view point on changing the freedoms for the African Americans. Along with this reappearing phase, King also used “One hundred years later…” to bring the pasted situations into the present day. King showed how African Americans weren’t treated any differently than they had been in the past. Kennedy also brought the past into his speech. He spoke about Americas founding ideas and how the other countries did not support them. Kennedy wanted to change that. He hoped that every nation would put their differences aside and support each other’s views on freedoms. These speeches helped both changes come about helped both changes happened whether it be, African Americans getting their equal or America overcoming the threat of Russia. Due to these similarities and differences between John F. Kennedy’s “Inaugural Address” and Martin Luther Kings Junior’s “I Have a Dream” speech, helped cement them as two as the greatest speeches America has ever heard.

Kennedy, John F. "American Rhetoric: John F. Kennedy -- Inaugural Address." American Rhetoric: The Power of Oratory in the United States. 10 Sept. 2010 .

King, Martin L. "American Rhetoric: Martin Luther King, Jr. - I Have a Dream." American Rhetoric: The Power of Oratory in the United States. 10 Sept. 2010

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