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MLK Day (first draft): Economics

Situating the "I have a Dream" Speech in Context

MLK's famous "I Have a Dream" speech took place at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, which linked civil rights with economic rights.

Note the economic language in the 3rd and 4th paragraphs of the speech.

With this in mind, what was MLK's take on Economics? And what does Economics say about Racial Inequality?

The Economics of Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement

Economics and Racial Inequality

How might you research racial inequality from an economic perspective?

  • Search for terms like race, poverty, justice and inequality using the resources in the Economics Guide
  • Consider what sources of data indicate inequality in wage and income. See data sources like U.S. Census and Labor Indicators

The "I Have a Dream" Speech

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