I am mindful that only yesterday in Birmingham, Alabama, our children, crying out for brotherhood, were answered with fire hoses, snarling dogs and even death. I accept this award on behalf of a civil rights movement which is moving with determination and a majestic scorn for risk and danger to establish a reign of freedom and a rule of justice. I accept the Nobel Prize for Peace at a moment when 22 million Negroes of the United States of America are engaged in a creative battle to end the long night of racial injustice. President, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen: His acceptance speech given in Oslo, Norway, appears below. Martin Luther King became only the second African American (after Ralph Bunche) to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. The Nobel Prize Lecture has been a requirement of all Nobel Laureates since the inception of the awards in 1901.On December 10, 1964, Dr.
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR NOBEL ACCEPTANCE SPEECH CENTRAL IDEA FREE
The audio differs from it the text several ways, most notably at the end, where King quotes the spiritual coda of his earlier “I Have a Dream” speech, saying “Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!” It is not known at present why the audio of the speech was not released sooner.
The text version of the speech had been published previously in the Nobel Foundation’s annual Les Prix Nobel, which compiles biographies of a given year’s Nobel Laureates as well as transcripts of their lectures. King accepted the Prize on behalf of the civil rights movement as a whole.Ĭlayborne Carson, director of the King Institute at Stanford University, characterized the address as one of King’s “most important speeches,” one that “lays out his goals for the remainder of his life addresses the problems of racial injustice, poverty and war as global evils rather than specific American problems.” The Prize was awarded for King’s nonviolent protests against racial segregation and economic injustice in the American South during the early 1960s. Its release coincides with the 30th anniversary of the celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. released the rare recording of King’s 1964 address today on Facebook. Posted by Nobel Prize on Monday, January 18, 2016įor the first time since it was delivered 51 years ago, it is now possible to hear Martin Luther King Jr.’s Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech in its entirety. A Nobel Lecture has been held by all Laureates – with very few exceptions – since the first Nobel Prizes were awarded in 1901.More facts on MLK at : The Nobel Lecture is a requirement for the Nobel Prize. King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his nonviolent campaign against racial segregation, a Prize which he accepted on behalf of the civil rights movement. King echoing his ‘I Have a Dream’ speech for equality and freedom: "Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”Dr. He also addresses the problems of racial injustice, poverty and war as global evils rather than specific American problems.”The recording dates from 11 December 1964, and in contrast with the previously published text version, it finishes with Dr. ”It lays out his goals for the remainder of his life. Clayborne Carson, Director of The King Institute at Stanford University, on the lecture. King originally delivered it in Oslo, Norway over 51 years ago.“One of his most important speeches”, comments Dr.
This is the first time in history this speech has been made available in its entirety to a global audience since Dr. Today on Facebook we’re releasing a rare audio recording of Dr. Rare recording: Martin Luther King, Jr.’s 1964 Nobel Lecture –…īIG NEWS! On #MLKDay we’re humbled and overjoyed to be able to share Martin Luther King, Jr.’s voice with the world.