The Speechwriter's Room

Mary Robbins

The Speechwriter's Room is for people who like or write speeches and those who deliver them. Every other week, Mary Robbins does a deep dive into the craft, politics, and quirks of writing remarks for leaders of all stripes.

Episodes

  1. JAN 5

    MLK Day

    In advance of this year's MLK Day, Mary highlights the stories behind two of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s speeches, starting with how gospel singer Mahalia Jackson influenced the iconic "I Have a Dream" speech at the March on Washington and Clarence B. Jones' account of how the speechwriting process unfolded the night before the March. Then, Mary discusses how Dr. King used the tools of persuasion in his speech at the fourth annual AFL-CIO convention in 1961. The episode pulls excerpts from these two speeches to showcase Dr. King's gift for challenging people in power and inspiring people to join the struggle for civil rights. More about Mahalia Jackson's advice to Dr. King at the March on Washington: https://www.vox.com/2016/1/18/10785882/martin-luther-king-dream-mahalia-jackson and https://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/28/opinion/mahalia-jackson-and-kings-rhetorical-improvisation.html Transcript of Dr. King's speech at the March on Washington: https://www.npr.org/2010/01/18/122701268/i-have-a-dream-speech-in-its-entirety Clarence B. Jones' story in the Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/14/AR2011011406266_pf.html Transcript of Dr. King's speech at the AFL-CIO Convention in 1961: https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-papers/documents/address-delivered-fourth-constitutional-convention-afl-cio Recording of Dr. King's speech at the AFL-CIO Convention in 1961: https://laborhistorytoday.podbean.com/e/mlk-at-the-afl-cio-in-1961-encore/ Historian Michael B. Honey's book All Labor Has Dignity: https://www.beacon.org/All-Labor-Has-Dignity-P921.aspx To learn more about the host, Mary Robbins, visit storiedcommunications.com.

    17 min
5
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

The Speechwriter's Room is for people who like or write speeches and those who deliver them. Every other week, Mary Robbins does a deep dive into the craft, politics, and quirks of writing remarks for leaders of all stripes.