The main purpose of a persuasive essay is to convince readers to agree with or support the individual's point of view. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote a stirring and politically influential “I Have a Dream…” speech that includes many persuasive techniques. Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia. King, a Baptist minister and civil rights activist, had an important influence on race relations in the United States starting in the mid-1950s. Through his involvement, he played a critical role in ending the legal segregation of African American citizens in the South and other areas of that nation. On August 28, 1963, King gave an emotional and political pro-freedom speech “I Have a Dream. ..” He used symbolism, metaphorical imagery, repetition, emotional and controlled language, and other powerful techniques to create an impact on the audience. King's speech begins with a very strong use of language that creates a logical and emotional appeal to his audience. His logical appeal comes when he states that the Emancipation Proclamation gave “hope to millions of Negro slaves who were burning in the flames of devastating injustice.” Throughout his opening sentences he creates an emotional appeal through his emotional language; describes that one hundred years have passed since the Emancipation Proclamation, but still "the life of the Negro is still sorely crippled by the shackles of segregation and the shackles of discrimination." King uses symbolism and metaphorical references to convince his audience that there must be equality for all races. A clear example of this is shown when King compares the “sacred obligation” that was given to the Negroes as a “bad check, a check that came back marked with the…… in the middle of the paper…. ..the most significant moment of this speech occurs towards the conclusion. When King demonstrates "his dream," he uses repetition of "let freedom ring" combined with influential diction to create his final emotional appeal. King's persuasive strategies demonstrate ethics, pathos, and logos to help audiences understand Martin Luther King Jr.'s message and purpose. "I have a dream..." had the power to move millions of people and inspire them to fight for their own freedom. With the use of persuasive techniques Martin Luther King Jr achieved this with this speech. This speech demonstrates the diction, symbolism, and metaphorical language needed to create an emotional, logical, and credible appeal that positively affected the nation. King's efforts had indeed changed America and the world for the better. His vision ensured that African Americans had a say.