An iconic speech in American history, “I Have A Dream” was delivered by Martin Luther King Jr. on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the March on Washington. In the speech, King talked about freedom, racial issues in the nation, and how we should judge people around us on their character and not their skin.

When talking about South African democracy, Nelson Mandela was the most defining figure that shaped it. This speech, which Mandela delivered while facing charges for his role in fighting apartheid, was three hours long and talked about democracy and the importance of a free society in South Africa.

With the German war machine stamping on the European nations from one to another, the British Empire had to stand alone against the Axis powers. Winston Churchill spoke to the British people, saying they would fight to the last drop of blood until the new world, mainly the United States of America, entered the war.

Slavery was one of the obvious moral problems of the day, and William Wilberforce came to believe that God had instructed him to be an abolitionist. Wilberforce delivered his first address to the House of Commons on the end of the slave trade on May 12, 1789. Soon after, a measure to outlaw the trade got proposed by Wilberforce, but it was unsuccessful.

Sojourner Truth was a well-known abolitionist and a women’s rights advocate. In 1851, she spoke at the Women’s Rights Convention, where she addressed the issues Black women dealt with in the United States. She exposed the discrimination faced by Black women, who got left out of discussions about racism and sexism.

In just 271 words and a few minutes, Abraham Lincoln was able to charm the people gathered and brilliantly summarize the Civil War and the United States’ history. Starting with a powerful intro and then hinting at liberty, democracy, and equality, the speech left a lasting impression on US society and history.

Barack Obama made a 17-minute address backing John Kerry for president. Obama became a household name after that keynote speech. Much of the credit for the speech gets attributed to Obama, who wrote it himself. Obama reaffirmed to the people of the United States what their obligations as citizens were.

On June 14, 1940, Paris fell to the German army, leaving the British Empire and their colonies alone to heal from the wounds of the Battle of France. Trying to boost the morale of the Englishmen, Winston Churchill urged the British people to stand together against the Germans. A month later, the Battle of Britain began, resulting in the first strategic victory for the empire.

During the 1960s, the Soviets and the Americans clashed during the space race. While the Soviets had the upper hand, everything changed when John F. Kennedy raised the stakes by proclaiming that humans would land on the moon at the end of the decade. The speech set an ambitious goal that was completed by Apollo 11.

The “Duties of American Citizenship” speech by Theodore Roosevelt, delivered while he was a New York assemblyman, included theoretical justifications for why every man should be active in politics and the actual procedures for doing so. Roosevelt chastised those who said they couldn’t participate in politics because their lives were too busy.

During the 2019 United Nations Climate Action Summit, Greta Thunberg spoke passionately to country officials about the climate change threat. Greta’s worries about the environment represent one of the main issues that nations will confront in the coming ten years, and her remarks are now more relevant than ever.

The Fourth of July might mark the day that the United States of America proclaimed its independence, but it sure doesn’t talk about the freedom of slaves in the nation. In 1852, Frederick Douglass, a former slave, gave a speech that raised a simple question — what meaning did the 4th of July have to a slave?

Queen Elizabeth I of England delivered one of the most masculine addresses in history in 1588, even at one point disparaging herself for being feminine. The “mighty” Spanish Armada, a fleet of around 130 ships with invasion intentions, was sailing toward Britain when the queen gave a stirring speech in Tilbury, Essex, England.

George Washington’s resignation speech is one of those speeches that says a lot about the person saying it. On December 23, 1783, Washington resigned as commander in chief of the Continental Army and told the Congress of the honor the position had brought him. He would go on to become the first president of the United States.

Abraham Lincoln’s second term saw him take over a country that was in the midst of a cruel Civil War. As with his Gettysburg Address, he spoke about the cruelties of war and the violence that ravaged the nation. He reminded the listeners of the simple fact that slavery was a national sin, one that shed the blood of American citizens.

Where Martin Luther King Jr. fought racial injustice with a pen and words, Malcolm X, another icon of the civil rights period, chose words and threats. He urged the African Americans of the United States to vote for the right person and, if they were prevented from exercising their constitutional right, to do so more “drastically.”

In this heartwarming speech, Lou Gehrig recounted all the beautiful things that had happened in his life and said that people should not worry about a sick man but rejoice in all that life has to offer. In doing so, he comforted many people and set an example of selflessness. On July 4, 1939, Gehrig delivered this speech in Yankee Stadium.

The rise and fall of the Berlin Wall are probably the two most important moments of the Cold War. It’s a monument that had quite a significant role in the conflict between the East and West, and when Ronald Reagan gave a speech near it, he did it with a bang. He urged the Soviet premier to do the obvious thing — tear down the wall!

Between 1973 to 1979, Barbara Jordan represented Texas’ 18th district in the U.S. House of Representatives. She addressed the House Judiciary Committee on July 24, 1974, on the impeachment of President Richard Nixon and delivered quite a speech. She reminded her colleagues of the importance of separating the roles of the accusers and the judges.

During a brief, emotional address on October 5, 1877, Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce tribe lamented the passing of an era for Native Americans and the lands that were taken from them. Chief Joseph surrendered after being overtaken by the U.S. Army during a frantic multi-week retreat into Canada.

The majority of President John F. Kennedy’s inauguration speech, delivered on January 20, 1961, was well-written and profound. In the speech, he made a direct call to Americans throughout the country to stand up for their country in words that were equally full of promise and grim warnings.

The notion of change was strong enough to propel FDR’s campaign to victory. In his first inaugural address, Roosevelt aimed to boost the nation’s battered morale and made the case for why he would require extensive executive authority to combat the Great Depression. This one rivals the more famous “Infamy” speech.

The American colonists planted the seeds of revolution even before the first shots got fired in Lexington. Patrick Henry was one of these early revolutionists, who, during the Second Virginia Convention, said one of the most legendary lines at the end of his speech that echoed throughout the colonies.

Michelle Obama was not only the first lady when Barack Obama was the president, but she was also a brilliant speaker. In 2016, during the Democratic National Convention, she spoke to the younger populace of the United States by talking about the importance of staying true to your values and standing tall when someone tries to think lower of you.

The National Indian Congress and Mahatma Gandhi supported the non-violent struggle to compel Britain to “Quit India.” On August 8, 1942, Gandhi gave a speech that urged for the independence of India and the end of the British colonial era overall. While his words might have reached other Indians, the British reacted by jailing him.

The Cold War was a period that brought anxiety to the everyday person and creativity to the authors and poets of both sides of the Iron Curtain, and William Faulkner was one of them. In 1950, during his Nobel Prize acceptance, Faulkner gave a speech that challenged writers to write about the human heart instead of the present nuclear problem.

Theodore Roosevelt advocated for moderation rather than radicalism, in addition to speaking about some progressive ideas too. In this speech, he talked about the importance of distinguishing the good from the bad, the actions that businesses were taking to prevent regulations, and the importance of highly valued character.

After his second term as the president ended, Dwight D. Eisenhower gave his farewell address, touching upon the dangers the military-industrial complex could bring to uneducated citizens. He warned of the threat military spending could have on the economy of the United States and the corruption that comes from it.

Some speeches are more negative than others, yet are still quoted even by those who aren’t keen to agree with the ideas presented. The “Every Man A King” speech by Huey P. Long is the perfect example. In his speech, Long talks about the sharing of wealth and the problems that rich people create in the United States.

Mary Fisher spoke at the 1992 Republican National Convention in Houston, Texas, after receiving her HIV diagnosis. Thirty years later, her speech from that evening is still fondly recalled and gets cited as a superb example of advocate persuasion in numerous rhetorical works.

Millions of Americans watched as seven Americans launched the space shuttle Challenger on January 28, 1986. The spacecraft was engulfed in a blaze 73 seconds later. A few hours after the catastrophe, President Ronald Reagan went on the radio and the airways to pay tribute to these “pioneers” and reassure a shaken populace.

Alexander the Great launched his long campaign to extend his kingdom and empire in 335 B.C. In 326 B.C., Alexander utilized his gift for oratory, which he had honed while studying under Aristotle, to give his warriors the inspiration they required to go on to battle and to win after ten years of warfare and being away from home.

Socrates was an Athenian philosopher who encouraged younger Greeks to think and question everything about authority. Sadly, he got arrested by the Athenians on some serious charges. The “Apology” serves as Socrates’ response to these accusations. Socrates accepted his faith and passed away as one of the best philosophers.

An Oscar win presents quite a unique opportunity, as the winner gets a moment to speak to the celebrities and viewers of the ceremony. Rami Malek, an actor from an Egyptian household, used this opportunity to talk about diversity and inclusion in professional industries and the struggles that immigrants might face.

Charles De Gaulle led an armored division when the German war machine attacked France and quickly occupied it. He fled from the occupied areas into England, where, on June 18, 1940, he appealed to the French people and helped spark the fire of the resistance against the German occupation.

Some speeches get told to hurt an enemy. Cicero started his Catiline Orations with his archenemy present. In terms of political speeches, it was brief, about 3,400 words, and straight to the point. In the speech, he told how he rescued Rome from rebellion and said that Catiline and his allies should be dealt with quickly.

In 431 B.C., Pericles delivered the customary funeral oration that was dedicated to the deceased Athenians. As he spoke to the Athenians, Pericles highlighted the importance of the sacrifice the fallen soldiers had paid for with their blood. Along with praising the fallen heroes, Pericles talked about the greatness of Athens and the Greeks.

The speech Mrs. Clinton gave on September 5, 1995, in a suburb of Beijing, focusing on women’s rights problems, was a career-changing moment that Mrs. Clinton wanted to make sure her efforts were centered around. During the 2016 presidential run, she used the speech as a jumping-off point.

Though you may not have heard of the Athenian orator Demosthenes, consider the fact that one of history’s most famed speakers of all time, Cicero, cited his ancient forebear 300 years later. Demosthenes’ Third Philippic, so-called because it was the third speech he gave devoted to convincing his fellow Athenians to take up arms against the encroaching forces of Phillip of Macedon, literally led men to war. 

General Douglas MacArthur was a national icon who got dismissed from the leading role in the Korean War by Harry S. Truman. When he got fired from his job, he went to Congress to give a farewell address. During the speech, he talked about the threats that exist in the world and the importance of national security.