"I am happy to join you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration of freedom in the history of our nation" and so it was for many reasons . Martin Luther King Jr delivered his "I have a dream" speech at a time when America needed it most. His words, spoken with passion and written with skill, resonated with true and demanding racial equality and called on the country to live up to its ideals. If it weren't for people like King, Obama may never have had a chance to become president, and he acknowledges this as he delivers his first inaugural address on King's Day, January 19, 2009. Two thousand people marched and attended the speech by Martin Luther King. and over a million also saw it on TV. The following year, King received the Nobel Peace Prize. King captured the attention of millions of people that day, and for years to come, with his unwavering confidence. He remained grounded and calm; no one in the crowd of two thousand could stop King in his strong beliefs. He remained true to his beliefs in himself and expressed what every African American wishes he had the confidence to have s...