Interpreting the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. into new languages allows us to reflect more deeply on their meaning. The “I have a dream” speech is so well known, and quickly evokes images of civil rights movement. White America has been criticized for elevating Rev. Martin Luther King to an iconic status while selecting speeches that feel safe, allowing us to focus on the dream as if we had achieved it, when in fact, we are tragically far from creating the society that he envisioned. Unfamiliar words challenge us to think about the meaning behind King’s words, through the lens of other languages and culture.

This year, Paul and Glen stitched together our crowdsourced interpretations so you can hear a portion of this famous speech in Spanish and French.

You can also explore individual phrase videos and see translations, as well as the country of origin. We elicited the help of people across the world to capture different dialects.

Marie Walburg Plouviez interpreted this historic speech in French:

Explore the french video phrase list and also hear the story behind her interpretation.

We hope that this exploration allows Dr. King’s historic “I Have a Dream” speech to take on new dimensions for you. The effort of having people from around the world engage in interpreting a speech that holds such deep and profound truths has expanded the impact of its meaning for us. We invite you to explore and extend your connection to his words.