Reading assignment from Strategies for Writing Successful Research Papers:

• Martin Luther King, Jr., “I Have a Dream,” pp. 279-282

o Go to YouTube, search for Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech, and view it.

• William Raspberry, “A Journalist’s View of Black Economics,” pp. 282-288

What is your reaction to MLK’s speech? Is it the same to read the speech as it is to watch him give the speech? What is the difference? In light of King’s speech, how do you react to Raspberry’s essay? Is it fair to pair these two texts together: King’s speech is famous and historical, and Raspberry’s is more contemporary (1990). King’s speech was given in 1963. How has this discussion about what Raspberry calls “black economics” changed? Does Raspberry treat the Civil Rights Movement fairly in his essay? How is he taking a more contemporary view of the situation? Raspberry’s essay itself could be considered a historical document because it was written more than two decades ago. What is the current situation? Have things changed from King’s time? From Raspberry’s time? From a year ago?