"[In] this slim but powerful book . . . Younge is adept at both distilling the facts and asking blunt questions."—Boston Globe
"Unequivocal."—Financial Times
"Gary Younge's meditative retrospection on [the speech's] significance reminds us of all the micro-moments of transformation behind the scenes—the thought and preparation, vision and revision—whose currency fed that magnificent lightning bolt in history."—Patricia J. Williams
Gary Younge explains why Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech maintains its powerful social relevance by sharing the dramatic story surrounding it. Fifty years later, "The Speech" endures as a defining moment in the Civil Rights movement and a guiding light in the ongoing struggle for racial equality.
Younge roots his work in new and important interviews with Clarence Jones, a close friend of Martin Luther King Jr. and his draft speechwriter; with Joan Baez, a singer at the march; and with Angela Davis and other leading civil rights leaders. 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 America's favorite speech.
Gary Younge is an author, broadcaster, and award-winning columnist for the Guardian, based in Chicago, Illinois. He also writes a monthly column for the Nation magazine and is the Alfred Knobler Fellow for The Nation Institute.
