Paired Texts > Martin Luther King, Jr. Nobel Acceptance Speech

by Martin Luther King, Jr.

1964

We've identified these texts as great options for text pairings based on similar themes, literary devices, topic, or writing style. Supplement your lesson with one or more of these options and challenge students to compare and contrast the texts. To assign a paired text, click on the text to go to its page and click the "Assign Text" button there.

8th Grade Speech 1180L
RFK’s Speech Following the Death of MLK
  • Senator Robert F. Kennedy
  • 1968

“RFK’s Speech Following the Death of MLK” is a speech that encourages the nation to unite and heal following Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination using strong rhetorical techniques.

Pair “RFK’s Speech Following the Death of MLK” with “Martin Luther King, Jr. Nobel Acceptance Speech” to provide students with additional information on the contributions that King made to the Civil Rights Movement. How does Kennedy’s speech reflect on and expand on some of the ideas that King discusses in his speech?

9th Grade Speech 1130L
I Have a Dream
  • Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
  • 1963

In Martin Luther King, Jr.’s iconic speech “I Have a Dream,” he discusses the state of racism throughout the nation and his hopes for freedom and equality in America.

Pair “I Have a Dream” with “Martin Luther King, Jr. Nobel Acceptance Speech” and ask students to compare the style of the two speeches. How does King use figurative language in these two texts? How does his use of language contribute to the development of ideas in each text? How would this language appeal to an audience?

10th Grade Informational Text 1410L
The Civil Rights Act of 1964
  • National Park Service
  • 2017

This informational text discusses the events that led up to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Pair “The Civil Rights Act of 1964” with “Martin Luther King, Jr. Nobel Acceptance Speech” to provide students with additional information about the bill discussed in King’s speech. Ask students to discuss why King doesn’t consider his work done despite the passing of the bill. How did racial injustice persist after the bill’s passing?

9th Grade Speech 1500L
Nelson Mandela's Nobel Peace Prize Lecture
  • Nelson Mandela
  • 1993

In “Nelson Mandela’s Nobel Peace Prize Lecture,” Mandela accepts the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize and discusses his work ending South Africa’s system of segregation.

Pair “Nelson Mandela’s Nobel Peace Prize Lecture” with “Martin Luther King, Jr. Nobel Acceptance Speech” to provide students with an additional example of a Nobel Peace Prize recipient who fought racial injustice. Ask students to compare the messages of Mandela’s and King’s speeches. How would students describe Mandela’s and King’s outlook on the future?

10th Grade Primary Source Document 1160L
Letter from Birmingham Jail
  • Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
  • 1963

In the famous “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” Martin Luther King, Jr., outlines his nonviolence approach to addressing injustice while responding to criticism.

Pair “Letter from Birmingham Jail” with “Martin Luther King, Jr. Nobel Acceptance Speech” to provide students with a deeper understanding of King's messages about justice and equality, as well as a deeper understanding of his use of rhetoric. Ask students to compare King's use of rhetoric, particularly figurative language, in the two texts. How does King's tone change based on his audience?

10th Grade Poem
Ode on a Grecian Urn
  • John Keats
  • 1820

In the poem “Ode on a Grecian Urn,” Keats describes elaborate images on a vase.

Pair “Martin Luther King, Jr. Nobel Acceptance Speech” with “Ode on a Grecian Urn” and ask students to compare the Nobel Prize with the Grecian urn. As a Nobel Prize for Peace recipient, King compares himself to a “curator.” Using evidence from the speech and poem, students should explain the meaning behind King’s comparison.

12th Grade News 1460L
PLESSY NEARS ITS END
  • The New York Times
  • 1956

The New York Times article “PLESSY NEARS ITS END” discusses the end of the monumental ruling that protected racial segregation until 1956.

Pair “Martin Luther King, Jr. Nobel Peace Acceptance Speech” with “PLESSY NEARS ITS END” to provide students with the point of view of a Civil Rights Movement leader. Ask students to discuss how King’s depiction of society for African Americans offers additional information about the possible reactions to the end of Plessy. How does King explain the Civil Rights Movement has progressed from the end of Plessy, as explained in “PLESSY NEARS ITS END”? Does king accept all the credit for his work? Why or why not?