- Published: November 12, 2022
- Updated: November 12, 2022
- University / College: The University of Manchester
- Level: Masters
- Language: English
- Downloads: 9
50th Anniversary of the March on Washington
Obama’s speech opened up with the hardships that the people faced to attend the march of Washington, 50 years back and state the significant that hardship carried; blacks wanted to access the freedom that will help them in possessing the American dream and the whites, who were no more ready to have freedom on the expense of their co-resident. Their single aim was to redefine the country in a better term for all the existing beings.
The whole speech reminded people of the color blind nation that Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. dreamt of. Hence, Obama called for all the Americans to step forward and contribute towards the racial equality and economic opportunity for the whole nation. Furthermore, the core component of the president address had been about the gay, minority and immigrant equality and female rights and justice. Not only this, his focused had also been zoomed in on what he called “ shadow of poverty” – an aspect which faced by youth living in suburbs, communities and small cities, who have gotten educated from substandard schools, who does not have appropriate health to move forward in life and with live and who have no or little hope for a bright future.
Moreover, Obama confront the crowd with them reminding about the people who were there in Washington March on 1963, carrying small firelight and torches and courage and hope so that their children can enjoy what they had been denied – racial equality. But, their strength did not just help the blacks, but minorities, people of different religions and transgender too.
Nonetheless, the other half of the speech ranged with the deficiency of the country, still prevailing despite of what Martin Luther King tried to convey to the crowd. Obama articulate that the black unemployment has stayed near to twice as high as the white employment, in the end half-century. Likewise, the difference of wealth between different races has climbed, instead of deteriorating. Apart from black discrimination, considering the whole nation, many American still don’t have the chance of getting higher wages and salaries or their current status is motionless, even though there are corporation that are soaring high in terms of success and monetary value. Similarly, inequality has risen gradually in different areas and skyward potency has become even harder.
Lastly, Obama speaks that this journey towards achieving the single goal, which prosperity of the nation by eradicating the racial inequality, promoting justice and offering economic opportunity to everyone, is not very easy and simple. He further clarifies that while obtaining this target, the whole nation will have to face many failures, disappointments and setbacks, but the crucial thing at that moment would be to stand back again and carry on with the evolution without giving up. Because, giving up would be equivalent of letting go Martin Luther King’s dream and in that the dream of every American, irrespective of who they are or from which group they belongs to. he ends the speech by claiming that the love of the country in the hearts of residents can enable them to change it, despite of the emerging and impossible odds.
Works Cited
Obama, Barack. “ 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington”. Lincoln Memorial. (2013).
King Luther, Martin. “ I Have a Dream”. Lincoln Memorial. (1963).