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Listen to Martin Luther King Jr.'s speeches and some songs they inspired

Martin Luther King Jr. preaching.
Martin Luther King Jr. preaching.
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There's no better way to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day than by listening to the words he used to motivate a generation and change the course of history. King was well known for his speeches, given everywhere from Birmingham churches to the National Mall in Washington, DC.

This playlist, created by Spotify, combines two elements of protest that have driven generations of American history: Martin Luther King Jr.'s speeches and music. Here you will hear the "Eulogy for Robert F. Kennedy" speech paired with a Bob Dylan song; "The American Dream" speech paired with Paul McCartney's "Blackbird."

The speeches themselves are, of course, incredible, and the songs remind us that music, too, can capture the need for protest and the feelings of hope that King's speeches created.

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