Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. speaking at Riverside Church.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s leadership in the American civil rights movement began in the mid-1950s and continued through his speeches, actions, and leadership for the next decade. During that time, he witnessed the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 for his efforts. However, civil rights were not the only concern of this gifted man. On April 4, 1967, Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke to more than 3,000 people assembled at the Riverside Church in New York City at the invitation of Clergy and Laymen Concerned about Vietnam.
King begins his speech, as he often does, with a recounting of the context that has brought him to speak. He says, “The recent statements of your executive committee are the sentiments of my own heart, and I found myself in full accord when I read its opening lines: ‘The time comes when silence is betrayal. That time has come for us in relation to Vietnam.'” What follows is a moving, thoughtful, and ultimately devastating analysis of the United States’ involvement in Vietnam and his demands for a different approach. The speech was not universally well-received. King was roundly criticized in the national press and was accused of betraying his primary goal of civil rights by turning his attention to the growing anti-war movement. Despite this, he continued to attack the war on both moral and economic grounds. He was assassinated exactly a year later in Memphis.
Some introductory context from the Alternative Radio program is included in the clip; King begins speaking at 2:22. His opening remarks, which are not included in your text, continue until 7:22. At that point, the speech progresses as printed in your textbook.
http://vimeo.com/30787074