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Clarence B. Jones: Martin Luther King's speech writer

"I have a dream", the man who helped Dr Martin Luther King write that famous speech. Offensive language has been bleeped since this interview was originally broadcast.

Offensive language has been bleeped since this interview was originally broadcast.

Today, another chance to hear from Clarence B Jones, Dr Martin Luther King's speech writer, lawyer and confidant.

Clarence was part of Dr King's inner circle of advisors and helped to organise the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, which culminated in the civil rights leader giving his famous 'I Have a Dream' speech to a reported 250,000 people.

Clarence who helped to draft the speech, stood behind Dr King as he uttered the words that have gone down in history and says that the atmosphere was like "capturing lightning in a bottle".

His book is called Behind the Dream: The Making of a Speech that Transformed a Nation.

The interview has also had an excerpt removed for rights reasons since it first aired.

(Image: Martin Luther King during his 'I Have a Dream' speech at the Lincoln Memorial, August 28th 1963. Credit: AFP/Getty Images)

Available now

27 minutes

Last on

Mon 27 Feb 2012 13:05GMT

Broadcasts

  • Thu 23 Feb 2012 15:32GMT
  • Thu 23 Feb 2012 20:32GMT
  • Fri 24 Feb 2012 00:32GMT
  • Fri 24 Feb 2012 03:32GMT
  • Mon 27 Feb 2012 13:05GMT

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