Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., head of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, addresses marchers during his "I Have a Dream" speech at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. Aug. 28, 1963.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., head of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, addresses marchers during his "I Have a Dream" speech at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. Aug. 28, 1963. The Associated Press
By Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C. — An English professor has unveiled a recording of what he says is the first time Martin Luther King Jr. said "I Have a Dream" in a public speech.

Months before the civil rights leader gave his famous address at the March on Washington in 1963, he was fine-tuning his message in other venues.

North Carolina State English professor Jason Miller says he discovered the recording of the speech King gave on Nov. 27, 1962, in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. He found it in a library while researching how King drew inspiration from the poetry of Langston Hughes.

Three people in the audience that day in 1962 listened to the recording being played in public for the first time on Tuesday. Dr. Tolokum Omokunde says King's words flowed like liquid.

View Comments

Listen to a clip of the Rocky Mount speech from ABC11 on SoundCloud.

Join the Conversation
Looking for comments?
Find comments in their new home! Click the buttons at the top or within the article to view them — or use the button below for quick access.