Before hundreds of thousands in Washington, D.C., on August 28, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King delivered his famous speech of brotherhood and national unity. That speech is included in this documentary that also contains scenes of the ongoing struggle for civil rights. 30 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English; bonus footage.

I have a dream today. On August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King spoke these words as he addressed a crowd of more than 200,000 civil rights protesters gathered at The Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC. Two months earlier, President John Kennedy had sent a civil rights bill to Congress, but it was struck down. Although Kennedy was concerned about the possibility of widespread violence during this pro

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The video does not show the entire speech, but it does present enough to gain a good understanding of its content. Perhaps the single most important reason to watch the video (as opposed to reading a text version of the speech) is to witness King's change in tone, demeanor and style as he reaches the end of the speech. As he begins to call for "letting freedom ring" he abandons his notes and begins to seemingly speak extemporaneously, and the passion in his voice begins to rise. It is a powerful visual, lost in any textual version.

The video concludes with a brief explanation of the assassination and memorial service.

27 of 27 found the following review helpful:

A Wonderful Presentation.Feb 20, 2006
By Tiki Zerr
I found this presentation of King's speech to be excellently portrayed. After a brief introduction, about 5 minutes about the civil right's movement and circumstances leading up to the famous march on Washington, the speech is presented in its entirety. Some of the footage leading up to the speech is emotionally graphic - high pressure fire houses being used on peaceful demonstrators and footage from the aftermath of the Church bombing.

I replaced an old VHS copy of, "I Have a Dream" to watch during the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday and enjoy the speech in its entirety whereas other versions merely show clips or portions of it. The only reason I have not given this DVD five stars is because of the brevity of materials. The inclusion of other memorable civil rights speeches, including President Kennedy and/or other speakers at the march would have made this DVD even better. Definately still a good purchase.

24 of 24 found the following review helpful:

Most effective speech everMay 18, 1999

I have heard reference to this famous speech many times over the years but I had never seen the entire speech. After seeing the entire speech for the first time it was easy for me to conclude that this is the best speech ever given by any public speaker with respect to: -sense of urgency created -references for all stakeholders -appropriate emotion and sincerity -skillful use of voice (tone, inflection)

I recommend this speech to anyone who is interested in seeing a very skilfull speaker. In addition, the subject matter of the speech is moving and relevant to many of the issues facing America today.

55 of 62 found the following review helpful:

Content - Thumbs Up; Video - Thumbs DownMay 13, 2002
By Steven V. Cannizzaro
I do not remember seeing the entire length of Dr. King's famous "I Have A Dream" speech delivered on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial nearly forty years ago. As I was preparing to speak to a group of high schools students in a program titled AVID --- Advancement Via Individual Determination --- I was excited by the thought of seeing Dr. King's speech. What better example of a leader with an inspiring vision for the future? What better example of someone who put their skills and experience to their highest and best use to fulfill their dream? What better example of someone who gave their life to something of value and significance?

Dr. King did not disappoint me. As I strained to pick out his figure --- nearly lost in a sea of over 300,000 faces crowded beneath the Lincoln Memorial --- I heard the voice that stirred souls to action in tumultuous times. I heard the cadence, rhythm, and volume of it. I heard the phrases rising and falling like waves crashing on the shore. I felt a lump in my throat as I considered the power and importance of the message.

And I wondered if we are already too far removed from this message. Nearly two generations hence, are we closer to Dr. King's dream? Does today's generation understand the price paid for its freedom? Are we cultivating leaders who will rise to the needs of tomorrow? Leaders of character, integrity, vision, action, teamwork, and service? This was the example and spirit I sought to inspire those students.

I was, however, disappointed by the quality and integrity of the video. I was at first surprised to hear Peter Jennings of ABC News narrating the video. As I watched, it became clear the content of the video was an excerpt from a narrative on the life of Dr. King, yet I could find no credit to Mr. Jennings, ABC News, or other source material. It ended abruptly as if it had been hastily or carelessly editted. I found this distracting and disappointing.

If I had an opportunity to select an alternative source for Dr. King's speech, I would select a better one.

27 of 30 found the following review helpful:

Surreal!Feb 07, 2000

In many publications this speech was named the number one speech of the 20th Century. I will not disagree. I have never been able to see the whole speech until now. Dr. King's words ring true 37 years later. Guaranteed to give you chillbumps! A must for any collection!

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