40 Famous Speeches That Have Had Long-Term Effects on Society

An iconic speech in American history, “I Have A Dream” was delivered by Martin Luther King Jr. on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the March on Washington. In the speech, King talked about freedom, racial issues in the nation, and how we should judge people around us on their character and not their skin.

When talking about South African democracy, Nelson Mandela was the most defining figure that shaped it. This speech, which Mandela delivered while facing charges for his role in fighting apartheid, was three hours long and talked about democracy and the importance of a free society in South Africa.

With the German war machine stamping on the European nations from one to another, the British Empire had to stand alone against the Axis powers. Winston Churchill spoke to the British people, saying they would fight to the last drop of blood until the new world, mainly the United States of America, entered the war.

Sojourner Truth was a well-known abolitionist and a women’s rights advocate. In 1851, she spoke at the Women’s Rights Convention, where she addressed the issues Black women dealt with in the United States. She exposed the discrimination faced by Black women, who got left out of discussions about racism and sexism.

Slavery was one of the obvious moral problems of the day, and William Wilberforce came to believe that God had instructed him to be an abolitionist. Wilberforce delivered his first address to the House of Commons on the end of the slave trade on May 12, 1789. Soon after, a measure to outlaw the trade got proposed by Wilberforce, but it was unsuccessful.

The Fourth of July might mark the day that the United States of America proclaimed its independence, but it sure doesn’t talk about the freedom of slaves in the nation. In 1852, Frederick Douglass, a former slave, gave a speech that raised a simple question — what meaning did the 4th of July have to a slave?

In just 271 words and a few minutes, Abraham Lincoln was able to charm the people gathered and brilliantly summarize the Civil War and the United States’ history. Starting with a powerful intro and then hinting at liberty, democracy, and equality, the speech left a lasting impression on US society and history.

Barack Obama made a 17-minute address backing John Kerry for president. Obama became a household name after that keynote speech. Much of the credit for the speech gets attributed to Obama, who wrote it himself. Obama reaffirmed to the people of the United States what their obligations as citizens were.

On June 14, 1940, Paris fell to the German army, leaving the British Empire and their colonies alone to heal from the wounds of the Battle of France. Trying to boost the morale of the Englishmen, Winston Churchill urged the British people to stand together against the Germans. A month later, the Battle of Britain began, resulting in the first strategic victory for the empire.

During the 1960s, the Soviets and the Americans clashed during the space race. While the Soviets had the upper hand, everything changed when John F. Kennedy raised the stakes by proclaiming that humans would land on the moon at the end of the decade. The speech set an ambitious goal that was completed by Apollo 11.

During the 2019 United Nations Climate Action Summit, Greta Thunberg spoke passionately to country officials about the climate change threat. Greta’s worries about the environment represent one of the main issues that nations will confront in the coming ten years, and her remarks are now more relevant than ever.

The “Duties of American Citizenship” speech by Theodore Roosevelt, delivered while he was a New York assemblyman, included theoretical justifications for why every man should be active in politics and the actual procedures for doing so. Roosevelt chastised those who said they couldn’t participate in politics because their lives were too busy.

Where Martin Luther King Jr. fought racial injustice with a pen and words, Malcolm X, another icon of the civil rights period, chose words and threats. He urged the African Americans of the United States to vote for the right person and, if they were prevented from exercising their constitutional right, to do so more “drastically.”

Queen Elizabeth I of England delivered one of the most masculine addresses in history in 1588, even at one point disparaging herself for being feminine. The “mighty” Spanish Armada, a fleet of around 130 ships with invasion intentions, was sailing toward Britain when the queen gave a stirring speech in Tilbury, Essex, England.

George Washington’s resignation speech is one of those speeches that says a lot about the person saying it. On December 23, 1783, Washington resigned as commander in chief of the Continental Army and told the Congress of the honor the position had brought him. He would go on to become the first president of the United States.

Abraham Lincoln’s second term saw him take over a country that was in the midst of a cruel Civil War. As with his Gettysburg Address, he spoke about the cruelties of war and the violence that ravaged the nation. He reminded the listeners of the simple fact that slavery was a national sin, one that shed the blood of American citizens.

In this heartwarming speech, Lou Gehrig recounted all the beautiful things that had happened in his life and said that people should not worry about a sick man but rejoice in all that life has to offer. In doing so, he comforted many people and set an example of selflessness. On July 4, 1939, Gehrig delivered this speech in Yankee Stadium.

The rise and fall of the Berlin Wall are probably the two most important moments of the Cold War. It’s a monument that had quite a significant role in the conflict between the East and West, and when Ronald Reagan gave a speech near it, he did it with a bang. He urged the Soviet premier to do the obvious thing — tear down the wall!

Between 1973 to 1979, Barbara Jordan represented Texas’ 18th district in the U.S. House of Representatives. She addressed the House Judiciary Committee on July 24, 1974, on the impeachment of President Richard Nixon and delivered quite a speech. She reminded her colleagues of the importance of separating the roles of the accusers and the judges.

During a brief, emotional address on October 5, 1877, Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce tribe lamented the passing of an era for Native Americans and the lands that were taken from them. Chief Joseph surrendered after being overtaken by the U.S. Army during a frantic multi-week retreat into Canada.