Includes the entire text of "I Have A Dream"“I have a dreamâ€Â—no words are more widely recognized; or more often repeated; than those called out from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial by Martin Luther King; Jr.; in 1963. King’s speech; elegantly structured and commanding in tone; has become shorthand not only for his own life but for the entire civil rights movement. In this new exploration of the “I have a dream†speech; Eric J. Sundquist places it in the history of American debates about racial justice—debates as old as the nation itself—and demonstrates how the speech; an exultant blend of grand poetry and powerful elocution; perfectly expressed the story of African American freedom. This book is the first to set King’s speech within the cultural and rhetorical traditions on which the civil rights leader drew in crafting his oratory; as well as its essential historical contexts; from the early days of the republic through present-day Supreme Court rulings. At a time when the meaning of the speech has been obscured by its appropriation for every conceivable cause; Sundquist clarifies the transformative power of King’s “Second Emancipation Proclamation†and its continuing relevance for contemporary arguments about equality.
#545220 in Books 2003-09-01Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.18 x 1.18 x 6.30l; 1.43 #File Name: 0300101937464 pages
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. My favorite history book. Thanks Alan Gallay! Treasure trove of new info!By Delphine DarcelOne of the best history books I've ever read.My absolute favorite. I've been reading it for decades. My ancestry is African; Irish and Southeastern Indian; specifically the areas covered in the work. For me this was a life changer that lead to a broader understand of my culture and Carolina. A treasure trove of new information from primary sources. So refreshing to hear it from this perspective. Thanks Alan!22 of 24 people found the following review helpful. Portents and PremonitionsBy GioFocusing on the early decades of South Carolina; Alan Gallay places English colonization in the context of the French and Spanish presence in North America; and of the immensely disrupted "first nation" cultures struggling to recreate stability in the face of European intrusions. Since the book won the 2003 Bancroft Prize; it shouldn't be necessary to praise it excessively or to call it to the attention of serious students of American history. For more casual readers; let me flag a few surprises:* First; the mere idea of Indian slaves! Yes; the colonists enslaved Indians more often than they converted them to Christianity; and lured the young men of some tribes into warfare aginst other tribes for the purpose of capturing slaves to sell to the English.* South Carolina exported more slaves in its first fifty years than it imported; most of them captured Indians sent to New England; the Bahamas; and other English sugar islands which were already more populous and more economically important than the mainland.* The rapid expansion of cultural mayhem from the spottily settled English colonies to the whole of North America east of the Mississippi.* The culture of slavery and the perception of racial identities that so quickly emerged in the American South! Was the Civil War inevitable from the onset?* The immediate emergence of conflict between the interest groups of the English; that is; the proprieters vs. the settlers; the local authorities of government vs. the ungovernable colonists; the rivalry between colonies; etc.* The challenge to the dominant historical hypothesis that Virginia was the model and seedbed of later Southern colonies and states; Prof. Gallay suggests that South Carolina may have disseminated its values and habits rather more widely than many have supposed.Some readers may find this book overly detailed and laborsome. Fair warning; okay? But those who are seriously interested in American history; of any era; should be advised that "The Indian Slave Trade" is required reading.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Much more than the title impliesBy HistorianThis book is about far more than the Indian slave trade. Covers almost all of SC Ga. in the early 17th century incl. Indian wars; settlement; etc. The writing style is somewhat dense but not bad for an academic tome. Gallay def. knows his stuff.
