MLK Jr. Oratory Competition
Foley & Lardner LLP is proud to host the Annual MLK Jr. Oratory Competition in Dallas, Houston, and Chicago. In celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy, the competition is designed to highlight the cultural diversity and talent of the community while recognizing and encouraging the writing and public speaking skills of elementary school students.
Each year, fourth- and fifth-grade students from Dallas, Houston, and Chicago ISD elementary schools are invited to compose and present original three-to-five-minute speeches, incorporating ideals from Dr. King’s teachings, to address a pre-selected topic. The students’ speeches not only celebrate Dr. King’s enduring messages but also demonstrate how his words continue to impact and inspire their own lives.
Each local competition begins with virtual or in-school qualifying rounds, followed by semifinals and finals. At every level of the competition, students are evaluated on delivery, stage presence and decorum, content interpretation, and memorization. The final rounds are judged by panels of prominent community and local business leaders.
The theme question for the 2023 competition is, “What would Dr. King say to us today about hope for tomorrow?”
The final round of Foley’s MLK Jr. Oratory Competition will occur in each city on Friday, January 13, 2023.
Chicago
When: 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. CT
Where: Foley’s Chicago Office
321 N Clark Street, Suite 300
Chicago, IL 60654
Dallas
When: 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. CT
Where: W.H. Adamson High School
309 E 9th Street
Dallas, Texas 75203
Houston
When: 10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. CT
Where: Antioch Missionary Baptist Church of Christ
500 Clay Street
Houston, TX 77002