1. Agenda: The Audience
Who were the audience(s) for the speech?

2. Agenda: The Exigence
What was the state of the Civil Rights movement in 1968?
Successes
Changes
War
Northern Cities
Poverty
Why was King in Memphis? What could he contribute there?
What were the issues in the strike?

3. Agenda: Martin Luther King
How did Martin Luther King develop his speaking style and ability?
What was Martin Luther King’s status in 1968?
King in this particular moment
His health
The horizon of his success

4. Agenda: The Speech What were King’s goals in the speech?
How effective was the speech short term?
What was the speech’s impact on the movement?
What makes the speech memorable?

5. Agenda: Evaluation How well did King respond to his moment?
Is this the right question to ask about this speech?
What would be our overall thesis in a judgment of this speech?