Historical Speech

A compilation inspiring speeches by famous women, from Virginia Woolf and Hillary Clinton to Malala Yousafzai and Nora Ephron. Be inspired to use your words from those who’ve made a difference.

This YouTube channel showcases oral histories collected by the National Park Service’s Stonewall Oral History Project, including stories from those who were at the riots and the activists who have worked for LGBTQ+ rights ever since.

This public radio site offers two program series about historic speeches by Black Americans (“Say it Loud,” and “Say it Plain”) plus coverage, video, and audio clips of speakers—from Booker T. Washington’s 1895 Exposition speech (one of the first ever recorded) to Barack Obama’s landmark 2004 Democratic National Convention keynote.

This powerful, comprehensive Library of Congress oral history collection captures the stories of living legends and everyday witnesses and participants in America’s long fight for civil rights.

A deep dive into social justice rhetoric covers the gamut from Sojourner Truth’s 1851 “Ain’t I a Woman” speech and Nelson Mandela’s 1991 Nobel Prize acceptance address, along with a handful of speeches by civil rights opponents.

A growing collection of civil rights oral histories, this university project offers audio and video clips, and transcripts of over 7,750 stories.

The vast online American Rhetoric archives house recordings and PDF transcripts of tens of thousands of great speeches, including collections by Barack Obama and historical women, along with resources for educators and researchers.

Created to reveal the depth and expanse of the Civil Rights movement, this oral history collection focuses on three key topics: “Race and the Public Schools,” “Economic Justice,” and “Gender and Sexuality.”

Stacker compiled this list of the most important speeches from the past 50 years, featuring not only the “greatest hits” (including MLK’s “I Have a Dream”, and LBJ’s call to action on civil rights after Bloody Sunday), but also lesser-known speeches from a spectrum of activists.

Stretching from our country’s earliest days to recent years, these essential speeches and debates tackle slavery, human rights, voting rights, the removal of Confederate statues, and other still-pressing topics.

UCLA’s vast oral history collection includes these important recordings documenting experiences of activists during the Chicano Movement from the ’60s to mid ’70s that changed Los Angeles, and then the entire country.