American Heritage Book of Great American Speeches for Young People »

American Heritage is well known for its magazine on American history, as well as many highly acclaimed books, including the American Heritage History of the United States and the American Heritage Illustrated History of the Presidents.
SUZANNE McINTIRE has been collecting great speeches for many years. She is a freelance writer and the mother of two.

The history of the United States has been characterized by fervent idealism, intense struggle, and radical change. And for every critical, defining moment in American history, there were those whose impassioned voices rang out, clear and true, and whose words compelled the minds and hearts of all who heard them. When Patrick Henry declared, "Give me liberty, or give me death!", when Martin Luther King Jr. said, "I have a dream", Americans listened and were profoundly affected. These speeches stand today as testaments to this great nation made up of individuals with bold ideas and unshakeable convictions.

The American Heritage Book of Great American Speeches for Young People includes over 100 speeches by founding fathers, patriots, Native American and African American leaders, abolitionists, women's suffrage and labor activists, writers, athletes, and others from all walks of life, featuring inspiring and unforgettable speeches by such notable speakers as:

Patrick Henry * Thomas Jefferson * Tecumseh * Frederick Douglass * Sojourner Truth * Abraham Lincoln * Susan B. Anthony * Mother Jones * Lou Gehrig * Franklin D. Roosevelt * Albert Einstein * Pearl S. Buck * Langston Hughes * John F. Kennedy * Martin Luther King Jr.

These are the voices that shaped our history. They are powerful, moving, and, above all else, uniquely American.

Children's Literature

Over the years, a select group of speeches or orations by a variety of Americans have stood the test of time and retained their power. Some of the more obvious ones are Lincoln's Gettysburg Address and Douglas MacArthur's farewell to Congress. Yet, there are grand words included in sources less familiar than these two examples that are worthy of recall. In this comprehensive source of great American speeches, many different types of addresses are included. For example, themes such as labor history, the civil rights movement and social activism are represented by specific speeches. The words of Native Americans include those of Chiefs Joseph and Seattle. Presidential commentaries by Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan and others provide a cross section of executive opinions. All in all, readers will find that perusing these pages allows them to revisit some of the critical moments in American history through the words of its players. This is a valuable quick reference book and will be enjoyed by students of history. 2001, John Wiley & Sons, $14.95. Ages 12 up. Reviewer: Greg M. Romaneck