Contextual Analysis

Savannah Rockwin

Contextual Analysis

University of Maryland-COMM401

Professor Christopher Swift

3 November 2017
Contextual Analysis

In crafting his I have a dream speech, Martin Luther King Jr. relies on his credibility as

a rhetor to assure his audiences willingness not only to listen, but also to adopt his dream for the

nation. Throughout his lifetime, King builds a reputation for himself strong enough to withstand

the harsh realities of the Civil Rights Era. Thus, Dr. Kings familial background, education and

occupation laid the foundation for his charisma, which informed his activism and effectiveness

as a civil rights leader.

Addressing an audience of 200,000 citizens is not a simple task just any orator could

undertake. It requires more than filling the air with positive energy and an irrevocable sense of

confidence. According to Dr. Ronald E. Riggio, personal charisma is a constellation of complex

and sophisticated social and emotional skills, (Riggio, 2004). By communicating with an

audience on a deeper emotional level, a speaker is able to make strong interpersonal ties with

their audience (Riggio, 2004). A leader must thread together a number of important

qualifications, which begins with the innate ability to exert power creating an emotional link

between speaker and listeners, (Young, 2016). The relationship Martin Luther King, Jr. built

between himself and his audience demonstrated his intrinsic charisma. Historians are not the

only individuals who documented Kings irrevocable charisma. A day after his I have a dream

speech, the New York Times featured a front-page editorial documenting the historic event,

placing a particular emphasis on Kings prudent contributions. The author of the article praised

this oration, saying that until he spoke the pilgrimage was merely a great spectacle,

(Kenworthy, 1963). MLKs audience- both his followers and the media- regarded him highly as

a result of his effective communication skills, which stemmed from his years of education.

The tradition of leadership was inherited through Kings upbringing and family, which

contributed to the allure of his charm. The social sensitivity and emotional control King radiated
Contextual Analysis

is best attributed to these factors. His lineage of respected, well-educated preachers planted the

seed for Kings future as a charismatic race leader. From a young age, King was submerged into

a lifestyle of education and religiosity. Michael King, Sr., better known as Daddy King, and his

father-in-law, A.D. Williams, both modeled the way for King, serving as role models by crafting

their own legacies heading the NAACP chapter and the Atlanta Civic and Political League

(Jackson & Carson, 2008). The manner in which he was nurtured Kings educational aspirations.

Through a strong educational background, Kings academic achievements speak to his

activism. He attended Atlanta Universitys experimental private school, Morehouse College, and

Boston University for his doctorate (Ling, 2015). This groomed Kings charisma, which is

evident in his commitment to non-violence through these extensive studies. In his

autobiography, King notes, The next stage of my intellectual pilgrimage to nonviolence came

during my doctoral studies at Boston University. Here I had the opportunity to talk to many

exponents of nonviolence, both Students and visitors at the campus, (King, 1998). Kings

education served as a resource in advancing his involvement in the civil rights movement.

His wealth of knowledge afforded him the ability to speak impromptu in I have a

dream, using it as a tool to establish his charm. In a biography of Dr. King, Stephan Oates

discusses how King labored on his speech throughout the night, yet fully abandoned script

when speaking (Vander Lei & Miller, 1999). By speaking from the heart, as Oates described,

Kings education informed not only the speech itself, but also altered the audience perceived

him. The combination of Dr. Kings intellect and passion for religion was paramount to his

transition to becoming an influential speaker.

While his academia informed his activism, Kings occupation also proved central to his

social reform efforts. While there were other prominent leaders at the time, many could not
Contextual Analysis

convey the same powerful messages as King. By relying on religious mediums and establishing

his prophetic role, King surpasses other civil rights advocates of this time by assuming the role

of a celestial figure. This tactic is vital in demonstrating charisma, as this approach is

instrumental in addressing a religiously fervent audience. He casts himself beyond another

ordinary agent of change; therefore, King appeals to the audience as more charismatic. MLKs

Letter from Birmingham Jail is a prime example of how his religious credentials qualify him to

take on the role of a divine authority figure. Michael Leff contends that King, through the use of

appeals to higher authority figures, vindicates and explains his actions, (Leff, 2004). King

draws parallels between himself and eighth-century prophets and apostle Paul carrying the word

of Jesus Christ (Less, 2004). Therefore, he is too compelled to carry the gospel of freedom

beyond my particular hometown," (King, 1963).

King not only constructs his charisma through drawing this parallel, but he also uses

mediums, such as sermons, to choose in the agency he wants his audience to associate him with.

In his novel, The Strength to Love, King articulates, Returning hate for hate multiplies hate,

adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness;

only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that, (King, 1963). This

translated in Kings favor when speaking at the March on Washington, because his appeal to a

higher authority and religious sermons reflected positively on his own charisma.

King familial background, scholastic achievements and faith informed his civil rights

activism in a number of ways. The combination of these three factors acts to dispel any question

of doubt towards Kings charisma, while strategically constructing the foundation of Kings

leadership.
Contextual Analysis

Works Cited

Jackson, T., & Carson, C. (2008). Becoming king: Martin Luther King Jr. and the making of

a national leader (Civil rights and the struggle for black equality in the twentieth

century). Lexington, Kentucky: University Press of Kentucky.

Jackson, T. (2011). Becoming king : Martin luther king jr. and the making of a national

leader (Pbk. ed. ed.). Lexington: University Press of Kentucky.

Kenworthy, E. W. (1963, August 29). 200,000 march for civil rights in orderly Washington

rally; president sees gain for negro. New York Times.

King, Martin Luther. (1963). Letter from Birmingham Jail.

King, M., Jr.,. (1981). Strength to love (1st Fortress Press ed. ed.). Philadelphia: Fortress

Press.

King, M., Jr.,, & Carson, C. (1998). The autobiography of martin luther king, jr. New York:

Intellectual Properties Management in association with Warner Books.

Leff, M., & Utley, E. (2004). Instrumental and constitutive rhetoric in martin luther king jr.'s

"Letter from birmingham jail". Rhetoric & Public Affairs, 7(1), 37-51.

Ling, P. (2015). Martin luther king, jr (Second edition. ed., Routledge historical biographies).

Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.

Riggio, R. E. (2004). Charisma. In J. M. Burns, W. Goethals, & G. Sorenson (Eds.),

Encyclopedia of leadership (Vol. 1, pp. 158-162). Great Barrington, MA: Berkshire

Publishing.

Vander Lei, E., & Miller, K. (1999). Martin luther king jr.'s "I have a dream" in context:

Ceremonial protest and african american jeremiad. College English, 62(1), 83-99.
Contextual Analysis

Young, J. (2016). The age of charisma: Leaders, followers, and emotions in american

society, 1870-1940. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Color key:
RED = biographical sources
GREEN= historical sources
BLUE= written by the author
PURPLE= external sources that analyzed artifact
BLACK= other additional sources