Lyndon B. Johnson and the "We Shall Overcome" address: a case study in rhetorical transcendence

Due to the character of the original source materials and the nature of batch digitization, quality control issues may be present in this document. Please report any quality issues you encounter to digital@library.tamu.edu, referencing the URI of the item.Includes bibliographical references.Issued also on microfiche from Lange Micrographics.On March 15,1965, Lyndon B. Johnson delivered the "We Shall Overcome address in support of passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which made it illegal for states to keep African Americans from voting. In this speech, Johnson responded to the outrage Americans felt toward the horrible events in Selma, Alabama. This thesis analyzes the address, demonstrating how he employed rhetorical transcendence as a main strategy in order to identify with the audiences as well as the constraints of the situation