LibGuides: Distinctive Voices: Speeches

Speech transcripts

Click on these links to read the transcripts of some speeches

Nuclear weapons are morally indefensible
This speech was broadcast by NZ Prime Minister David Lange in 1985
Yes we can
Barack Obama's New Hampshire Primary Speech
What is an American?
This remarkable speech was delivered during an I am an American Day gathering in New York's Central Park by Harold Ickes, President Franklin Roosevelt's Secretary of the Interior. It came at a perilous moment in history, May 1941, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazis seemed headed toward possible world domination.
Ain't I a woman?
Delivered by Sojourner Truth in 1851 at the Women's Convention in Akron, Ohio.

Speeches that Changed the World

Speeches that changed the world: the word and stories of the moments that made history
Call Number: 808.85 SPE
ISBN: 9781847246066
Publication Date: 2005
"Collected here are more than 50 of the world’s most momentous and insightful speeches, drawn from a vast range of historical eras and from persons of all walks of life. Some speeches—such as Roosevelt’s response to the bombing of Pearl Harbor—changed the course of history itself, while others—such as Martin Luther King’s talk in Washington, DC—defined an era. Along with a transcript of each speech, a biography of the speaker is provided along with an explanation detailing why each speech was significant and its impact on the world. Evocative and inspiring, this is a fascinating collection of some of the greatest words ever spoken by mankind" (GoodReads).

Time's Up Founding Letter

Time's Up Founding Letter
The open letter signed by women in show business for a new initiative to fight systemic sexual harassment in Hollywood and in blue-collar workplaces nationwide.

Speech - Malala Yousafzai

Speech - Emma Watson

Kevin Rudd's Apology to The Stolen Generation

Vital Speeches of the Day

Vital Speeches of the Day is a monthly collection of speeches on a wide range of political topics. It is available through the History Reference Center Database. For access to this database, log in to Moodle, and enrol in Library 2. You'll find it under Miscellaneous if you haven't already enrolled.

Subject Guide

Karen Bale

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Subjects: Careers, Creative Arts, English, HSIE, Mathematics, PDHPE, Religious Studies, Science, Student Services, TAS