Introduction
The speeches delivered by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Alicia Garza from the Black Lives Matter movement are two of the most influential and moving speeches of the modern era. Both speakers had the power to capture their audience with their passionate delivery and body language. While both King’s and Garza’s speeches are powerful and inspiring, they differ in terms of body language, delivery style, and location, all of which impact the message and the audience.
Importance of Body Language, Gestures, Cadence and Delivery Style
When examining the body language of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Alicia Garza, it is clear that both individuals had a strong presence while speaking. He exuded confidence and used his body language to punctuate his words. He moved his arms in a synchronized rhythm to bring attention to specific points, and he punctuated his speech with pauses to ensure his words had greater resonance (Rare Facts, 2017). His delivery was passionate and intense, as his hands and arms conveyed his feelings.
Alicia Garza also used her body language to emphasize her words and connect with the audience. She was very much in control of her emotions and was very composed while delivering her speech (San Francisco State University, 2017). She used her hands to emphasize her points and reach out to the audience. She also used a lot of pauses to create a dramatic effect and ensure that the audience was paying attention to her words.
Similarities and Differences Between Two Speeches
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech and Alicia Garza’s speech on Black Lives Matter are grounded in the struggle for civil rights and explore the pain and suffering of African Americans throughout history. Dr. King’s speech was delivered on August 28, 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C, during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom (Saghir et al., 2020). The speech was aimed at ending racial discrimination and segregation, calling for equal rights and justice for all people in America. Dr. King’s speech was delivered in a church and at the Lincoln Memorial, both symbolizing freedom and equality.
Alicia Garza’s speech, on the other hand, addressed issues of police brutality and systemic racism in America. She spoke about the Black Lives Matter movement, which advocates for an end to police brutality against African Americans and broader social and economic justice for Black people across the country (San Francisco State University, 2017). Garza’s speech was delivered in a more intimate setting to a small audience deeply invested in the struggle for social justice.
Both speeches embody a deep passion for justice and an unwavering commitment to the cause of equality. Dr. King’s leadership, charisma, power, and love to capture his audience resonates with Garza’s charisma and passion for social justice. The similarities between the two speeches lie in the messages both speakers strive to convey to their audience – the need for justice and equality for Black Americans.
At the same time, the speeches differ in their concerns and focus; Dr. King’s speech was more general, while Garza’s speech primarily addressed political realities. The locations of the speeches play a crucial role in supporting their messaging. Dr. King’s speech at the Lincoln Memorial invokes the country’s notions of freedom and democracy. In contrast, Garza’s speech was made in a small gathering, lending an intimate atmosphere to the speech.
Conclusion
Overall, Dr. Martin Luther King and Alicia Garza’s speeches effectively communicated powerful messages of justice and equality. However, there are several resemblances between the two speeches. The body language, delivery style, and setting varied. These distinctions affected the meaning of the speeches and the crowd they were both striving to move. In the end, both addresses effectively swayed their listeners to stand up for fairness and parity.
References
Rare Facts. (2017). I Have a Dream speech by Martin Luther King Jr HD (subtitled) [Video]. YouTube. Web.
Saghir, F., Qasim H. M., & Sibtain, M. (2020). ‘I Have a Dream’: An interpersonal metafunction analysis of Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech. Ilkogretim Online – Elementary Education Online, 19(4), 6999-7014. Web.
San Francisco State University. (2017). Black Lives Matter co-founder Alicia Garza represents grad students with powerful speech [Video]. YouTube. Web.