Category US Presidents

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE PHYSICAL COPY OFMARTIN LUTHER KING’S I ‘’HAVE A DREAM’’SPEECH?

African American civil rights activist Martin Luther King’s speech “I Have a Dream” emphasized the unrealised promise of economic freedom for black Americans – and the White House dreaded the consequences. The physical copy of this speech is widely regarded as one of the most influential documents in American history. Read on to discover the surprising journey of this historic document In the annals of history, August 28, 1963, stands as a pivotal moment-a day when Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his timeless oration, “I Have a Dream,” to a crowd of nearly 2,50,000 people gathered at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. Little did anyone know, amidst the fervor of that day, that the physical copy of this iconic speech would embark on a journey of its own, passing through the hands of an unlikely guardian.

George Raveling’s brush with history As King concluded his speech and stepped away from the podium, he found himself face to face with George Raveling, a former Villanova University basketball player assigned to provide security. In a serendipitous moment, Raveling, moved by the speech, asked King if he could have the folded papers (that had the written oration). Without hesitation, King handed over the speech to the young volunteer, unaware of the significance of this exchange.

The speech finds its voice

For nearly two decades, the speech remained tucked away in a Harry Truman biography, as Raveling pursued his career in NCAA basketball coaching. It wasn’t until 1984, during a conversation with a journalist, that Raveling revealed his possession of the historic document. Prompted by the journalist’s interest, Raveling retrieved the speech and had it professionally framed.

Safeguarding a national treasure As Raveling began to grasp the importance of the speech, he decided to secure it in a bank vault in Los Angeles. Despite receiving lucrative offers from collectors, including a staggering $3 million bid in 2014, Raveling remained steadfast in his decision to preserve the speech’s integrity. Instead, he entrusted Villanova University with the responsibility of safeguarding this invaluable piece of history.

A homecoming

In August 2021, Villanova announced its role as the custodian of King’s speech, which made its public debut at the National Museum of African American History and Culture later that month. Commemorating the 60th anniversary of the march in Washington, the speech returned to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture on August 7, 2023. This temporary exhibition provided an opportunity for visitors to connect with the speech’s profound impact on American history. As the world continues to cherish and commemorate King’s legacy, the physical copy of his iconic speech remains a poignant reminder of the power of words to inspire change and unite humanity.

DID YOU KNOW?

• It was actually gospel singer Mahalia Jaskson’s cry “Tell them about the dream, Martin!” that prompted King to improvise the line I have a dream.

• In 2003 Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous words were inscribed into the spot where he gave the iconic speech.

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Who was the 45th president of the United States of America?

Before becoming the 45th president of America, Donald Trump was a real estate mogul and a former reality TV star. In 1980, he opened the Grand Hyatt New York, which made him the city’s best-known developer. Though he was interested in politics and had voiced his opinions many times, it was in 2015 that he announced his candidacy from a Republican ticket.

His victory was remarkable for anyone’s first run. Also, Trump is the oldest ever first term president. Trump is proud about his country; he believes the United States has incredible potential and will go on to exceed even its remarkable achievements of the past. Trump withdrew from the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade negotiations, the Paris Agreement on climate change, and the Iran nuclear deal.

It was Trump who moved the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. He also withdrew U.S. troops from northern Syria. He imposed import tariffs which triggered a trade war with China. Trump was criticized by many for his bold moves. For instance, his zero-tolerance policy to prevent illegal migration was criticized by many including the courts of the country. Many of his opinions and comments are also viewed as racist in nature.

Trump’s reaction to Covid-19 was scrutinized by the world. He downplayed the threat of the pandemic and chose to ignore or contradict many recommendations from health officials. In addition to that, Trump promoted false information about unproven treatments and the availability of testing.

Trump refused to admit his defeat to Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election. After a series of failed accusations regarding fraudulence in the election, he eventually acknowledged his defeat.

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Why is it said that Barack Obama made history when he was elected as the president of the USA?

When Barack Obama made his way to the White House, the country got its first president of African-American origin. Obama is proof of ‘the pursuit of happiness’ that Americans hold close to their heart. He was born in a middle-class family and had only education and hard work to help him. He believed that his life should be in the service of others.

After graduating with a law degree, Obama returned to Chicago to teach constitutional law at the University of Chicago. Obama came to the national spotlight in 2004. He was noted for his well-received keynote address at the July Democratic National Convention and his landslide victory in the election to the Senate in November. He was nominated for the 2008 elections. He won against Hillary Clinton and became the 44th president of America with Joe Biden as vice president.

During Obama’s term in office, the United States’ reputation abroad significantly improved. He enjoyed popularity in the beginning, but was criticized later for the slow pace of the economy and the high unemployment rates. Osama Bin Laden was killed by the U.S. Special Forces in Pakistan during his time as president. Obama’s decision to increase military force in Afghanistan was widely criticized. This was when the situation in Iraq was improving and the target date of ending US combat operations were approaching. He was re-elected in 2013 after defeating Mitt Romney.

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What do we know about George W. Bush?

George W. Bush was the 43rd president and the first person since Benjamin Harrison in 1888 to be elected president despite having lost the nationwide popular vote. It was one of the most controversial elections in which Bush won by a narrow margin of Electoral College votes. This happened in 2001.

Bush had a sound background in politics; his father George H.W. Bush had been the 41st president. His grandfather Prescott Bush had been a senator and his brother Jeb was a governor of Florida.

As president, Bush had a successful start. The government had a budget surplus from Clinton’s tenure and Bush got the Congress to reduce taxes. He also passed the No Child Left Behind bill; this bill increased funds for education. However, one of the most tragic events in the history of America also happened when Bush was the president- the 9/11 attack!

The airborne terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre on 11 September, 2001 killed nearly 3000 Americans. The attack was orchestrated by a terrorist organization called Al Qaeda led by Osama Bin Laden. Less than a month after the attacks, Bush sent U.S. troops to Afghanistan, where Bin Laden was thought to be hiding. He later sent forces to Iraq despite opposition from many quarters.

Bush was elected for a second term. The country was in the shackles of the Great Recession in 2007. After finishing his second term, Bush returned to Texas. Decision Points, his memoir was published a year later.

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Why is it said that the 42nd U.S. president once dreamt of becoming a musician?

William J. Clinton, popularly known as Bill Clinton dreamt of becoming a popular musician when he was in high school. He used to play the saxophone as well but fate had something else in store for him- to become the 42nd president of the United States.

As a student, Clinton had an excellent record. He was part of the Boys Nation (an organization imparting civic training) and once got a chance to meet President Kennedy in the White House Rose Garden. This incident changed his life and paved his way to public service. After receiving a law degree, his life in politics began in Arkansas, first as the attorney general and then governor.

Clinton became the president defeating George H.W. Bush. His tenure was considered as a new wave in American political leadership. Clinton presided over the longest period of peacetime economic expansion in the history of America. His budget plan increased taxes on the wealthy and provided tax cuts to high-tech companies to encourage their growth. He wanted to improve the economy and stop the government from spending more than it took in. His plan worked; he was able to create a surplus of money in the federal budget for the first time in thirty years!

Clinton became the first D Democrat since Franklin D. Roosevelt to be elected to a second full term. During his second term, though he was charged for some unethical behaviour, he was never found guilty. Clinton was the second president to be impeached; it was the result of issues surrounding personal indiscretions with a young woman White House intern. Despite this, Clinton continued to have unprecedented popular approval for his work as president. His autobiography My Life was a best-seller.

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What was the role played by George H.W. Bush in the Persian Gulf War?

A completely dramatic world awaited George Bush when he became the president of the United States. The Cold War ended after 40 bitter years, the Communist empire broke up, and the Berlin Wall fell. The Soviet Union dissolved and its president Mikhail Gorbachev resigned. The list does not end here.

Bush sent many American soldiers to trouble spots, the most important one being Iraq. The US and UN drove the Iraqi forces away from Kuwait in a well-planned and carefully executed operation called Desert Storm. Bush assembled a multinational force to compel the withdrawal of Iraq from Kuwait in the Persian Gulf War.

It would not be wrong to say that Bush had a background in politics; his father was a US senator from Connecticut. It was natural for him to join politics. While living in Texas, he was selected as a Congressman. Later, he served as the US representative to the United Nations and China. He also worked as the director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the nation’s spy organization.

Before becoming the president, Bush served as vice president during Ronald Reagan’s tenure. As president, Bush’s term was remarkable. But Bush was unable to withstand discontent at home despite his international success. America had a faltering economy and violence soared in inner cities. Voters weren’t happy with his handling of the economic problems. Though he contested for the 1992 election, he lost. Two of George H.W. Bush’s sons were elected governors-George W. Bush of Texas in 1994 (who later became the 43rd president) and Jeb Bush of Florida in 1998.

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