Martin Luther King: did his speeches use 'black' rhythms?

Question:I mean to ask was "I have a dream etc" a speech based upon a particular style of rhetoric that many modern politicians have forgotten how to use? I just wonder if Mr King had a style that I haven't heard of (as well as a substance I agree with).

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: I mean to ask was "I have a dream etc" a speech based upon a particular style of rhetoric that many modern politicians have forgotten how to use? I just wonder if Mr King had a style that I haven't heard of (as well as a substance I agree with).

I'm with Nancy Kay.

A few years back I went to a black church for the funeral of a friend's father. The church was in California, but most of the older members were from the South, as was the preacher.

The preacher's speaking style had a different, but similar, type of rhythm structure to it. Another speaker, who gave the eulogy, had a style almost EXACTLY like MLK's.

The interesting thing is, when I lived in Louisiana I went to a poor white church for a wedding, and the preacher THERE sounded very similar, except for his accent!

So I KNOW MLK's style was a SOUTHERN preacher thing, and I THINK it probably had a large black cultural component to it as well.

I heard Cesar Chavez speak once, and he was pretty moving, even though I disagreed with some of what he said. His very charismatic speaking style had a Latino touch, appropriately enough.

Today there are 300 million people in the U.S., "on the books," and depending on who you listen to as many as another 10-to-25 million "off the books." With all those different cultures, regional, ethnic, racial, and national origin, you'd figure that SOMEBODY would leap to mind today as a great orator with a special "cultural" touch.

Maybe it's a tribute to the homogenizing power of TV, or maybe it's a condemnation of the drab and stupid people who run for office these days in the twilight of the empire, but there don't seem to be any great orators anymore -- WITH such a cultural touch or WITHOUT it.

CERTAINLY not in politics. At least, _I_ don't know of any.

His oration style was that typical of a black southern preacher...which he was.

I think his style was like a style of power. If you ever listen to it. he has a style of power that makes people want to listen.

It wasn't rhythm, it was a matter of his culture of his time. I'm not referring to racial cultures, I'm referring to where he lived. Different locations use different vowel patterns and diction, and individuals of power would still use their normal speech pattern but have a more authoritative, confident way of speaking, which emphasizes their diction and local accents. For example, listen to George Bush's accent. Compare it to Bob Dole or Jesse Jackson. Their speech patterns reflect where they grew up.

Look for other popular politicians of that time who lived near Dr. King and listen to their speeches.