Have you ever marveled at a great speech? It’s not just those words that can sway you but the tone, the appearance and the inflection of the voice which all plays its part. For some it comes naturally but we can all benefit from taking some Public speaking courses, like those from collegeofpublicspeaking.co.uk/ to either hone our skills or learn them afresh. Here are some great examples of brilliant speeches through the ages.
- I have a dream. Dr Martin Luther King Jr’s impassioned speech outside the Lincoln Memorial
- in Washington DC has to be the greatest. It had the most dramatic impact and enabled the Civil rights movement to have an anchor and goal to work to. In the speech Dr King talks of his hope that one day in the USA all people would be equal and live equally.
- We will never surrender. Sir Winston Churchill. During the early stages of the Second World War Britain was the last of the Allies on the Western side of Europe able to stand against the might of Nazi Germany. The people were scared and the army demoralised and disorganised. Churchill’s speech in some respects sounds defeatist as the slowly retreating army will fight on the landing grounds, beaches, fields, hills and the city streets. However, it is the defiant final line of “We will never surrender!” that lifted the nation and toughened its already considerable resolve.
The Gettysburg Address. Abraham Lincoln. Giving just a few hours after the battle. Lincoln outlined his commitment to the USA and its constitution. He reiterated the need for a united states and laid down the benchmark for future presidents to be judged against.