Applications are no longer being accepted. Thank you for your interest.
Goal
Strengthen students’ reading, writing and public speaking skills while encouraging them to learn about and
support the dreams of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Guidelines
- Open to K-12 students.
- One speech entry per grade-level category per school. Each school should establish a procedure to determine their entry for
each grade level category.
- Speeches must be written and delivered by the student speaker. Use of notes is optional.
- Speeches are timed and must not exceed four minutes.
- Students must use the theme: "What Affects One Affects All."
I am cognizant of the interrelatedness of all communities and states. I cannot sit idly by in Atlanta and not be concerned about what happens in Birmingham. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; Letter from a Birmingham Jail; 16 April 1963.
- Student behavior should be attentive, courteous and supportive at all times.
- Speakers are judged using the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Speech Contest Judging Criteria.
Virtual preliminaries
Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023
Sponsored by Milwaukee Public Schools
Grade-level category times (Only one entry per grade level category per school.)
K-2 |
8:30 a.m. |
3-4 |
9:30 a.m. |
5-6 |
10:30 a.m. |
7-8 |
11:30 a.m. |
9-10 |
12:30 p.m. |
11-12 |
1:30 p.m. |
In-person finals
Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023
Sponsored by We Energies
Top five speakers from each grade level category qualify for finals.
We Energies Public Service Building Auditorium
231 W. Michigan St., Milwaukee

2022 speech highlights
(3:57 min)

2021 speech highlights
(3:08 min)

2020 speech highlights
(3:03 min)

2019 speech highlights
(4:04 min)