In this part 1 of 3 "The Context", Gary Younge situates the "I have a dream" speech in the tumultuous year of 1963.

Part 2: The March
Part 3: The Speech

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DELIVERED his powerful "I Have a Dream" speech on August 28, 1963. Fifty years later, the speech endures as a defining moment in the civil rights movement. It continues to be heralded as a beacon in the ongoing struggle for racial equality.

Discussing his new book The Speech, author Gary Younge skillfully captures the spirit of that historic day in Washington and offers a new generation of readers a critical modern analysis of why "I Have a Dream" remains America's favorite speech.

The Speech: The Story Behind Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Dream
Published by Haymarket Books.