Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech is a document that is central to US history. It is an astounding document with an inspiring message. But, if you use it in a book, a TV show, or in other places you have to PAY! Dr. King’s estate charges a hefty fee to get copyright permission, which is ironic since Dr. King himself borrowed a great deal from other other writers.
This piece below if a great examination of the text of “I Have a Dream,” and it is a look at the copyright laws keeping this historic document behind a pay wall.
On the Media: DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. AND THE PUBLIC IMAGINATION
Description: Martin Luther King Jr.’s sermons frequently relied on improvisation – King drew on sources and references that were limited only by his imagination and memory. It’s a gift on full display in King’s ‘I Have A Dream’ speech, but it also conflicts with the intellectual property laws that have been strenuously used by his estate since his death. OTM producer Jamie York speaks with Drew Hansen, Keith Miller, Michael Eric Dyson and Lewis Hyde about King, imagination and the consequences of limiting access to art and ideas.