Hauser 1

Kristin Hauser
Dean Leonard
ENG 1201-B11
5/7/2014
Summary on President Obama Marks the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington
In President Obama Marks the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington, Barrack
Obama addresses the nation in Washington D.C. on the 50
th
anniversary to honor Martin Luther
Kings historical March on Washington. In this 28 minute speech Obama doesnt recite Kings
speech, but instead reflects on Kings views and hopes for a brighter future for all, and how it all
relates to the world in todays society.
After providing a brief history recap on the events that took place in Washington D.C.
just a half a century before, Obama went on to talk about how Martin Luther Kings goal wasnt
just for equal rights but also equal opportunity. He continues to relate Kings ideas to the way
that he thinks the country should be ran in the world today. Obama uses the Kings analogy It
isnt enough to sit at an integrated lunch counter, if you cant afford the meal. This is a quote
that directly co-exists with the ideals of the Democratic Party, in the way that both are stating
that employment should have an equal opportunity for all, not just the clean-record fortunate
white man, but everyman. Obama talks about how even in todays world, the unemployment
rates for blacks, and also Latinos, is higher than whites. Kings dreams seem more and more out
of reach for Obama, as the gap for wealth between races hasnt decreased but instead grown.

Hauser 2

Next Obama talks about opportunity for change, comparing present time, with 50 years
ago. He states that 50 years ago a choice had to be made, just as one has to be made now. There
needs to be a choice between the people, to either continue down the path that society has set for
itself, or bust through the barrier to bigger and better things. Fifty years ago the people joined
together, for the basic want of equality and human rights. Today, President Obama is asking the
people of the United States to join together to raise the standards, and to test the limits, as was
done during the March of Washington.
Lastly Obama refers to the term marching. He uses this to define people in the modern
world today, who are taking steps to a better tomorrow. This is saying that trying to better
yourself or your surroundings, one step at a time, is equivalent to those thousands that joined
Martin Luther King on that hot summer day, marching their way into D.C. Obama thinks that
both then and now, that the outcomes can be the same, that through persistence and a strong
unity, change will be made. To accomplish such great things, Obama believes that Americans
need to find a common ground, and instead of turning our backs on one another, due to our
differences, we should face each other and go hand-in-hand to reach the common goal.
Obama ends this memorable speech with a reciting of the last few phrases of our Pledge
of Allegiance: One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. With those
last few words lingering in the air, The President of the United States left the audience with a
feeling of equality as Obama emphasizes the last half, justice for all.