3 immortal speeches from the pages of history

A beautiful speech touches our soul. Throughout history, leaders have delivered speeches that have inspired countless people, cutting across the barriers of time and geography. One such well-known speech is Jawahar Lal Nehru's ‘Tryst with Destiny,’ which he delivered at the Indian Constituent Assembly in 1947. On August 14, at midnight, the speech highlighted India’s independence from the British. Let us read about three speeches that have stood the test of time and have earned an indelible place in history! 

‘I Have a Dream’ by Martin Luther King Jr. (1963) 
On 28 August 1963, Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. delivered the most memorable and inspiring speech in American history. King spoke to 250,000 people while standing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. By imagining a better future, he encouraged to put an end to discrimination and racism through his speech. The speech used a very simple language with the repetition of the phrase ‘I have a dream,’.  

One of the most-remembered lines from the speech is this: I have a dream that one day, my four young children will live in a country where they will not be discriminated by the colour of their skin but rather be judged by their character.  

George Washington’s resignation speech (1783) 
On May 9, 1775, George Washington was elected as the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolution (American war of independence from the British). Washington maintained command of the Continental Army until a formal peace treaty was reached between Britain and the United States. In 1783, Washington bid his commanders farewell at Fraunces Tavern in New York City and set out for the Congress to surrender his military commission. On December 23, Washington delivered a speech to the Congress in Maryland's Old Senate Chamber. The closing lines of his speech were, “Having now completed the job assigned to me, I withdraw from the great arena of action, and bidding an affectionate goodbye to this august assembly, under whose instructions I have so long operated, I here offer my service, and take my leave of all employments of public life.” Even in his final speech as the commander-in-chief of the country’s armed forces, Washington made it clear that it was always about the country and never about him. He rejoiced in the nation’s declaration of its independence and was happy that the United States had established itself as a reputable country. He also expressed happiness at having completed such a challenging work.  

‘Luckiest Man’ by Lou Gehrig (1935) 
At the Yankee Stadium on 4 July 1939, the baseball star Lou Gehrig gave a brief speech that continues to inspire us even today! Gehrig was suffering from a nerve condition known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. As his health deteriorated, Gehrig comforted those grieving his illness with his speech. He encouraged people to celebrate life instead of worrying about one dying man as he described all the beautiful events in his life. In doing so, he comforted many people and set an example of selflessness. ‘I close in stating that I may have had a rough time, but I have an incredible amount to live for,’ he said in his speech. After a brief struggle with his condition, Gehrig passed away at age of 37 years. For this contribution to baseball, he was included in the Hall of Fame.