Recommended

5 Commercials That Stuck Out During Super Bowl 52

Geese fly over the the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington August 20, 2013. The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., delivered his 'I have a Dream' speech on August 28, 1963, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the march on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.
Geese fly over the the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington August 20, 2013. The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., delivered his "I have a Dream" speech on August 28, 1963, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the march on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. | (Photo: REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)

Dodge: MLK Jr. speech to sell trucks? 

Dodge is receiving criticism for appropriating a speech and voice of Martin Luther King Jr. in order to sell their pickup trucks, the Dodge Rams.

The passionate speech, which King gave 50 years ago to the day Sunday, could be heard on audio as viewers watched scenes of a firefighter rescuing someone from a blaze, a barber cutting someone's hair, a medical professional performing a sonogram on a pregnant woman, and marching soldiers. Interspersed with these servant-oriented individuals were visuals of Dodge Ram pickup trucks performing heavy tasks, emerging from the fog.

This particular speech is known as King's "Drum Major Instinct" sermon in which he spoke about his definition of greatness and the importance of serving humanity, highlighting the need for a "heart full of grace."

Get Our Latest News for FREE

Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know.

The King Center, which is the official living memorial to the civil rights icon, founded by King's late wife Coretta Scott King, retweeted the Feb. 4 1968 speech in its entirety on Twitter, asking the public: "Learn about #MLK from him. Please listen to/read his speeches, sermons and writings. Understand his comprehensive teachings and his global perspective. Study his nonviolent philosophy. It's more than a tactic."

Other outlets noted that the full speech is a critique of capitalism were miffed that it was used to sell trucks.

Follow Brandon Showalter on Facebook: BrandonMarkShowalter Follow Brandon Showalter on Twitter: @BrandonMShow

Was this article helpful?

Help keep The Christian Post free for everyone.

By making a recurring donation or a one-time donation of any amount, you're helping to keep CP's articles free and accessible for everyone.

We’re sorry to hear that.

Hope you’ll give us another try and check out some other articles. Return to homepage.

Most Popular

More Articles