Historical and Racial Narratives in Martin Luther King Jr.’s ‘I Have a Dream’ Speech: A Critical Discourse Analysis

Abstract

This study applies Ruth Wodak's Discourse-Historical Approach (DHA) to analyze the racial and historical narratives in Martin's seminal "I Have a Dream" speech. Conveyed in 1963 march on Washington, the discourse is inspected as both a catalyst for and a reflection of socio-political change within the setting of the U.S. civil rights movement. Through DHA's framework including argumentation, nomination, perspectivation, predication, intertextuality, and intensification/mitigation, the research uncovers how King deliberately coordinating historical references, devout symbolism, and protected standards to build a comprehensive American identity whereas foregrounding the struggle of African American. Findings appear that King's discourse draws on foundational biblical scripture, national documents, and moral reasoning to position racial balance as both a protected commitment and a moral basic. The examination illustrates that his rhetorical strategies bridge historical treacheries with a forward-looking vision, fortifying the civil rights movement's authenticity and mobilizing different audiences. The study contributes to CDA scholarship by outlining DHA's capacity to put through linguistic techniques with socio-historical settings, highlighting the persevering significance of King's rhetoric in contemporary battles for equity.