Page 59 - All About History - Issue 12-14

The King’s Speech:
By the numbers

times King says the
11 ‘
word dream’

17 minutes – the
length of the
speech

20 hours spent on
a bus by many
travelling to
the march

Many of the leaders of the protest are held
back before the March on Washington

In the papers

Newspapers around the country brandished mixed Buses
headlines following King’s speech. While many reported on arriving
the march’s orderly and peaceful nature, several complained per hour
of the event’s effects on traffic and transport in the area. 100by 8am
Others, perhaps deliberately, gave the march only a few
column inches, referring to it as a ‘racial march’ rather than
a call for equality.
This front page from the Eugene Register Guard reflects
the apprehension felt by many at the time. “Massive Negro
Demonstration ‘Only a Beginning’” is somewhat scare
mongering, implying the US should be fearful of the black
population. The strapline “No Evidence of any Effect on
Congress”, meanwhile, seems to purposely undermine the
efforts of those involved in the march.

day live in a nation where they will not be judged history and the fight for civil rights. “Though he 5900
rapturous standing ovation from the mass of people
by the colour of their skin but by the content of in front of him. ,
their character.” King’s speech was a defining moment in black
“Aw, sh**”, remarked Walker Wyatt, another of
King’s advisors. “He’s using the dream.” Wyatt had was extremely well known before he stepped up to police officers on duty
previously advised King to stay away from his the lectern,” Jones wrote, “he had stepped down on
dream rhetoric. “It’s trite, it’s cliché. You’ve used it the other side of history.” Even President Kennedy,
too many times already”, he warned. Indeed, King no mean orator himself, reportedly turned to an
had used the refrain on several occasions before aide and remarked: “He’s damned good.” POLICE POLICE POLICE POLICE POLICE POLICE
at fundraisers and rallies but, crucially, in the days However, the clout of King’s address was not
before mass media it had not been publicised. To entirely positive. The Federal Bureau of Intelligence
the millions watching on TV and in person, the (FBI) was wary of King’s activities and its director
,
speech was as original as they come. J Edgar Hoover considered King to be a dangerous
When King had talked about his ‘dream’ before, radical. Two days after the march, FBI agent 250000
it had been well received, but certainly hadn’t William C Sullivan wrote a memo about King’s
been groundbreaking. This time, however, it was increasing sway: “In the light of King’s powerful people at the march
different: thousands upon thousands of listening demagogic speech yesterday he stands head
voices cried out in approval and unity, and King’s and shoulders above all other Negro leaders put
final line: “Free at last, free at last, thank God together when it comes to influencing great masses
Almighty – we are free at last!” was met with a of Negroes. We must mark him now, if we have not
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