The Speech: The Story Behind Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Dream

<p>&quot;[In] this slim but powerful book . . . Younge is adept at both distilling the facts and asking blunt questions.&quot; - <i>Boston Globe</i></p><p>&quot;Unequivocal.&quot; - <i>Financial Times</i></p><p>&quot;Gary Younge's meditative retrospection on [the speech's] significance reminds us of all the micro-moments of transformation behind the scenes - the thought and preparation, vision and revision - whose currency fed that magnificent lightning bolt in history.&quot; - Patricia J. Williams</p><p>Gary Younge explains why Martin Luther King Jr.'s &quot;I Have a Dream&quot; speech maintains its powerful social relevance by sharing the dramatic story surrounding it. Fifty years later, &quot;The Speech&quot; endures as a defining moment in the Civil Rights movement and a guiding light in the ongoing struggle for racial equality.</p><p>Younge roots his work in new and important interviews with Clarence Jones, a close friend of Martin Luther King Jr. and his draft speechwriter; with Joan Baez, a singer at the march; and with Angela Davis and other leading civil rights leaders. Younge skillfully captures the spirit of that historic day in Washington and offers a new generation of readers a critical modern analysis of why &quot;I Have a Dream&quot; remains America's favorite speech.</p><p><b>Gary Younge</b> is an author, broadcaster, and award-winning columnist for the <i>Guardian</i>, based in Chicago, Illinois. He also writes a monthly column for the <i>Nation</i> magazine and is the Alfred Knobler Fellow for The Nation Institute.<br></p>