Heart and Soul: 60 years since ‘I have a dream’
The Documentary Podcast
BBC
4.3 • 2.7K Ratings
🗓️ 25 August 2023
⏱️ 27 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Baptist minister Dr Martin Luther King Jr delivered his "I have a dream" speech on 28 August 1963 to crowds of over 250,000 in Washington DC as part of the Great March, which called for jobs and freedom for African Americans. It helped spur the passage of the US Civil Rights Act of 1964. On the 60th anniversary of this legendary speech, Emmy award-winning journalist Sherri Jackson meets speakers from differing religious backgrounds and experiences to talk about how they have been influenced by Dr King's words. They discuss the details of his vision, and the role of faith in securing social justice and in anti-racism protest today.
Produced by Nina Robinson Series producer: Rajeev Gupta Production coordinator: Mica Nepomuceno
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Unexpected Elements is all about finding the surprising science angles to |
| 0:05.4 | everyday news. That's Unexpected Elements from the BBC World Service. Find it |
| 0:13.0 | wherever you get your BBC podcasts. |
| 0:20.8 | Hello and welcome to Heart and Soul on the BBC World Service with me, Shiri |
| 0:26.2 | Jackson, speaking to you from Birmingham, Alabama in the US for a special |
| 0:31.5 | program to mark the 60th anniversary of a turning point in the civil rights |
| 0:35.9 | movement to end racial segregation and discrimination in the United States. Dr. |
| 0:41.1 | Martin Luther King Jr.'s legendary, I have a dream speech. |
| 0:48.8 | Spoken in front of crowds, numbering about a quarter of a million and |
| 0:52.7 | broadcast live on television across the US. These powerful words were spoken at |
| 0:58.1 | the historic civil rights march on Washington for jobs and freedom for black |
| 1:02.2 | people on August 28, 1963. |
| 1:16.0 | 60 years later, I have joining me people inspired by his life and message and |
| 1:21.8 | their own faith and the continued fight for social justice and against racism |
| 1:27.8 | today. First, we are pleased to welcome Reverend Stephen A. Green, a pastor and |
| 1:32.8 | activist who leads the St. Luke African Methodist Episcopal Church in New York |
| 1:37.4 | City and chairs faith for black lives, a faith-based social justice |
| 1:42.2 | organization. Aisha Irfan is a Muslim American community organizer who has worked |
| 1:48.4 | hard to create social change on issues like protecting First Amendment rights for |
| 1:53.1 | freedom of speech. She now works through Google and public policy and joins us |
| 1:57.6 | now. How has Dr. King's words inspired you? When I think about Dr. Martin Luther |
| 2:05.3 | King, I think that he at his core was a socialist and fiercely anti-war and |
... |
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