The civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s had many leaders, such as Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Malcom X, and many others. But King was the only one who stood out from the group. Its purpose was to ensure equality for all races, not just African Americans. King had given a speech that he wrote and spoke about it at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC on August 28, 1963. In King's "I Have a Dream" he motivated and touched not only African Americans but also white people around the world. and in the crowd. His speech conveys a powerful message during the civil rights movements by using rhetorical tools of metaphors and allusions. King's speech was given on August 28, 1963. Its purpose was to advocate freedom for slaves. He begins his speech with Abraham Lincoln's emancipation of the slaves. Lincoln later states that after being freed from slavery, blacks are still not free. King claims that all men were issued a check and a promise of freedom, but for black men and women the check came back with “insufficient funds.” Civil rights union members write a check to America, return America's unfulfilled promise with one they are sure to keep: the continued pursuit of justice. King, along with many supporters, are calling for their freedom now, calling for things to change with a sense of urgency and without procrastinating the oppressor. They do not want to see slow changes over time to make justice a reality for all “children of God.” However, King hopes to achieve equality through nonviolent movement. He tells other blacks not to have hatred or bitterness in their hearts and not to resort to guns and fists. He knows that violence to achieve peace only leads to an endless cycle of fighting,……middle of paper……ica. This speech is still used today in all schools for educational purposes. Works Cited Basler, Roy P. "Abraham Lincoln Quotes." Abraham Lincoln Quotes. Abraham Lincoln Online, 2013. Web. March 19, 2014. "Benjamin Franklin Quotes." Benjamin Franklin Quotes. Interessante.com, 2001. Web. 19 March 2014. Casa, Thomas Clarkson. "History for anti-slavery". Anti-slavery. The stable yard and the Web. March 19, 2014. Ivan. "The Last Words of Martin Luther King Jr." Those who dig. Np, nd Web. March 19, 2014.Kelly, Martin. "Martin Luther King Jr." About.com American History. About.com, 2014. Web. March 19, 2014. "Martin Luther King, Jr. Quotes." Clever quote. Xplore, 2001. Web. 19 March 2014. Sabrina. "Martin Luther King:" But ultimately, a riot is the language of the unheard. ""Democratic Underground. Democratic Underground, LLC, 2001. Web. March 19. 2014.