Inspiring speeches that ignite change
In 1995, the world was sitting in front of their TV sets as Nelson Mandela stood up to speak. We watched as the President of South Africa gave one of the most memorable speeches to date. The speech itself was only 18 minutes long, but it impacted millions and made an everlasting impression on our society.
Many years have passed since Mandela’s famous speech, but there are many more influential speeches that we need to remember today. We live in an age of powerful leaders, politicians, and celebrities that continually inspire us and change our lives.
So what makes a great speech?
To answer this question I have compiled a list of the most inspiring speeches given by some of the greatest social influencers and leaders in our society.
Here are top 10 most inspirational speeches ever given:
1. Nelson Mandela - Freedom Day Speech, 1994
When South Africa was released from apartheid on May 10th 1994, Nelson Mandela gave one of his most famous speeches at Cape Town's Green Point Stadium. In his famous speech Mandela noted that the ANC had fought for democracy and they were now ready to lead South Africa into a new era. Mandela also acknowledged the help and support from international leaders such as Fidel Castro, Jean-Paul Sartre and many others.
2. Steve Jobs - Stanford Commencement Speech, 2005
When Steve Jobs was asked to speak at Stanford University's 2005 commencement ceremony he said yes immediately. Jobs was not known for giving many speeches, but this particular speech has inspired millions. He talked about his failures and difficulties throughout his life which ultimately allowed him to be successful in the end. He encouraged everyone in the audience to believe in themselves and even look at failure as a positive thing because it gives you an opportunity to try again and do it right!
3. Dr. Maya Angelou - Wake Forest University, Winston Salem, May 17, 2010
Dr. Maya Angelou is a famous author and poet. Her most famous novel was "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings". In 1944 she wrote her first poem "Caged Bird" which inspired her to become a poet and writer for the rest of her life. In this speech, Angelou said that she 'never thought as a child that poetry was anything but an expression of my personal anger."
4. Henry David Thoreau - Walden Pond, 1854
In this famous speech, Thoreau speaks of the importance of living simply and dedicating yourself to environmental causes. He talks about the lazy habits that we have inherited from our ancestors which are destructive to our society. Thoreau said we should "read and reflect much more." He also encouraged people to live in peace with each other and maintain unity in their communities.
5. Barack Obama, A Future To Believe In Speech, 2004
This is one of the most famous speeches ever made by an American politician (and presidential candidate). In this speech, Obama said that our nation is divided because we are the United States of America, not a united group of states. He also talked about how we must begin working together again as a nation and stop fighting against each other. In 2004, Obama also spoke about the Iraq war and our lack of support for veterans who were returning home from war. This is considered one of his most inspiring speeches and gave him a good chance at being elected President in 2008.
6. Nelson Mandela - Freedom Day Speech 1994
Nelson Mandela first appeared on South African television in 1995 when he was released after 27 years imprisonment. The entire world was watching as he delivered an important message to his people about forgiveness and peace. He stated that people shouldn't live in the past and that there was no need for revenge. He also told his people to move on with their lives after apartheid had ended.
7. Martin Luther King, Jr - I Have a Dream Speech, 1963
This is probably one of the most famous speeches by Martin Luther King. He delivered this speech on August 28th 1963 from the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC at the height of the Civil Rights Movement. He was fighting for equality and freedom of all blacks in America which was not a popular idea at the time.
Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed our list of the most inspirational speeches ever . These speeches have changed the lives of many people over the years and will continue to do so in the future. We would like to hear from you - which one is your favorite? Do you have a speech that you think should be added to this top 10 list? Please contact us if so!
Thanks for taking time out of your busy day to read this article on TopInspirationalSpeeches.com. Enjoy!
Source: Speech Topics
Title: 10 Most Famous Speeches Of Martin Luther King Jr. | Articlesbase.