He is stating that the American government has neglected on the obligation to all the American people which leads to King setting up his credibility by tapping into the authority of a great American and our constitution. King established his credibility in another way by using the word “we.” For example, he inspires his audience by saying “I say to you today, my friends, even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream.” (King 277) This lead to helping demonstrate his credibility by showing that he too personally experienced racial inequality.
Within “I Have a Dream” Dr. King uses pathos to assist in influencing the audience by appealing to their emotions, fears and feelings. Several ties throughout the speech, King repeated the phrase “I Have a Dream,” the repetition of this phrase gave his audience a sense of positivity and hope. He constantly showed sympathy to blacks who have also experienced racial