I've Been to the Mountaintop: Questions
I've Been to the Mountaintop: Questions
- Have you ever been in charge of a big event? How'd you motivate people to participate?
- At the end of the speech, Dr. King tells his audience they'll succeed in reaching the Promised Land even without him. Do you think that turned out to be true? Are great leaders important in altering history (the so-called "great man theory"), or are they just especially good advocates for changes that are already happening?
- Related question: Dr. K asks the audience to join the march and to stick to his plan, essentially encouraging them to be followers. We value "leadership" a lot nowadays. Is following just as praiseworthy and important as leading? What was the value of leaders and followers in the King sanitation march?
- Grab yourself some tea and cookies, find a comfortable chair, commandeer your favorite furry petting victim, and listen to MLK deliver "I've Been to the Mountaintop." Does hearing the audio change your understanding of the speech at all?
- What's your favorite moment in "I've Been to the Mountaintop"? Why?
- Counterfactuals are always highly speculative, but hey, let's go for it: how do you think the country might have been different (if at all) had Dr. King not been killed? If he were still alive today, what might he say about our hot-button issues? Would he find things to admire about our time? Besides Netflix?
- Keeping in mind that he was very controversial in his own time, can you think of anyone today who might deserve to be called a modern MLK? Why did you choose that person?
- Can you believe this whole guide doesn't make even one joke about The King's Speech?