"How dare you?": 10 iconic speeches that made history

History has been made through iconic speeches that changed the world: From ‘I Have a Dream ’, ‘Are Women Persons?’ to ‘The Only Thing We Have to Fear Is Fear Itself ’, tectonic shifts have occurred after these words were spoken. All written and delivered by masters of ideas and expression, discover the ultimate 10 manifestos that modified how people felt, thought, and acted.

On the 28th of August 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., Dr Martin Luther King delivered his famous speech I Have a Dream, which was one of the most defining moments in history. This incredible speech was the climax of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, which drew over 250,000 supporters to the city. Through his words, King galvanized the American Civil Rights movement, calling for racial equality and an end to legalized discrimination.

Through the reiteration of the title phrase, he managed to express hope powerfully, stating his wishes for the nation as a whole, in a relatable and inspiring way for all: "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character".

This iconic speech was delivered by Winston Churchill on June 4th, 1940, in the House of Commons, while he was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. It was the second of a three-speech series given by Churchill around the time of the Battle of France, where tough things had to be said, without losing all hope.

The objective of this delivery was quite complex: to warn the British public of a possible invasion attempt by the Nazi regime, without casting doubt about their eventual victory: "...we shall prove ourselves once again able to defend our island home, to ride out the storm of war, and to outlive the menace of tyranny, if necessary for years, if necessary alone".

During John F. Kennedy's Inaugural Address on January 20th, 1961, he had a climactic moment which has been remembered throughout history: "Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country."

His goal was for it to be a call to civic action, urging ordinary citizens to prioritize public service, community sacrifice, and the greater good over individual self-interest.

It was on April 20th, 1964, when the future leader of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, the eldest son of a Xhosa-speaking Tembu chief, had a difficult time ahead of him: He faced the death penalty for alleged sabotage and treason against the white-minority-ruled state and its segregationist policies during what was known as the Apartheid regime.

Mandela, also known as Madiba, used the trial in Pretoria to outline the ideals of the African National Congress (ANC). His closing statement, which became a defining document for the global struggle for human rights, shocked the courtroom: "I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons will live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal for which I hope to live for and to see realised. But, my Lord, if it needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die."

On the 23rd of September of 2019, during the United Nations Climate Action Summit in New York, Greta Thunberg delivered a speech titled: "How Dare You?" Just like Malala Yousafzai, she was 16 years old at the time, but she confronted world leaders on their inaction on climate change in a way that had rarely been seen before.

She demanded urgent measures to be taken to save the planet, urged them to stop ignoring scientific warnings, and accused those present of stealing her generation's future with empty promises: "We are at the beginning of a mass extinction, and all you can talk about is money and fairy tales of eternal economic growth. How dare you!"

During his First Inaugural Address on March 4th, 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered this pivotal speech while facing the depths of the Great Depression. His intention was to assure the American public that, instead of the economic crisis itself, despair, inaction, and hopelessness were their biggest enemies.

The full historic passage reads: "So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance."

On her 16th birthday, on July 12th, 2013, Malala Yousafzai, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate, delivered her historic speech at the United Nations Assembly in New York to urge leaders around the globe to provide free and compulsory education for every child.

Incredibly, this took place just nine months after Malala survived an assassination attempt on her life by the Taliban for advocating for girls' education. In her address, she declared that the extremists were "afraid of books and pens" and that the power of education frightened them.

Following her arrest for illegally voting in the 1872 presidential election, Susan B. Anthony posed a powerful question in her groundbreaking speech of 1873: "Is it a crime for a United States citizen to vote?", where she passionately argued that the United States Constitution guaranteed women’s rights. Anthony famously stated, "The only question left to be settled now is: Are women persons? And I hardly believe any of our opponents will have the hardihood to say they are not."

Since women are persons, she argued they are inherently citizens, pointing out that the Preamble of the Constitution begins with "We, the people," and does not say "white male citizens," or "male citizens," concluding that any state law denying women the right to vote was unconstitutional, null, and void.

In the Farewell Address given by J. Robert Oppenheimer to the Association of Los Alamos Scientists on November 2, 1945, he argued that scientific progress cannot be divorced from humanity, and that moral responsibility must guide the pursuit of knowledge.

"But there is another thing: we are not only scientists; we are men, too. We cannot forget our dependence on our fellow men. I mean not only our material dependence, without which no science would be possible, and without which we could not work; I mean also our deep moral dependence, in that the value of science must lie in the world of men, that all our roots lie there."

The British suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst delivered her famous speech "Freedom or Death" on November 13, 1913, in Hartford, Connecticut, a speech that was a defining moment in the women's suffrage movement.

In the opening, she famously declared: "I am here as a soldier who has temporarily left the field of battle to explain—it seems strange that I should have to explain it—what civil war is like when women wage it."

The truth about your brain

You won’t believe what happens in your brain while you sleep

Image: Milad Fakurian

Your brain is one of the most powerful and mysterious organs in your body. It controls everything from your thoughts to your emotions and even processes information at lightning speed. But how much do you really know about it? Some long-believed myths about the brain have been debunked, while other surprising facts reveal just how incredible this organ truly is. Get ready to be amazed by these fascinating brain facts!

Image: Natasha Connell

You’ve probably heard this one before, but it’s completely false! While it’s true that not all parts of the brain fire at the same time, imaging studies show that most regions are active throughout the day, even when we sleep.

Your brain is constantly working, controlling bodily functions and emotions, and processing information. So next time someone says you’re only using 10% of your brain, you can confidently tell them that’s just a myth!

Image: Aarón Blanco Tejedor

Here’s a weird fact: While your brain processes pain signals from the rest of your body, it has no pain receptors of its own. This is why surgeons can perform brain surgery on conscious patients without causing them pain.

However, the membranes and tissues surrounding the brain do have pain receptors, which is why headaches and brain injuries can be so excruciating.

Image: Usman Yousaf

How come we have headaches if the brain has no pain receptors? Well, that’s because headaches are triggered by chemical activity in the brain, changes in nerves and blood vessels, and even fluctuating serotonin levels.

In some cases, hormones like estrogen can also play a role, which explains why migraines are more common in women.

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Dreams are proof that your brain never rests! (Warning: this fact can make you feel exhausted.) While you sleep, your limbic system, that is, the part of the brain that deals with emotions, becomes especially active, which is why dreams often feel so intense.

On average, humans experience four to seven dreams per night, even if we don’t always remember them. And what about that scary nightmare about falling? Well, you can thank your amygdala, the brain’s fear center, for that one.

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Have you ever walked into a room and instantly forgotten what you were after? That’s because short-term memory only lasts about 20-30 seconds! That’s not enough!

Your brain holds a limited amount of information in its active state before deciding whether to store it or discard it. Ironically, we can’t really choose what makes the cut, but we do hope these facts stay with you!

Image: BUDDHI Kumar SHRESTHA

That sharp, icy pain when you eat something too cold? It’s your brain’s way of telling you to slow down! Officially called sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia, a brain freeze happens when cold food or drinks rapidly chill the blood vessels in your throat, causing them to constrict and then rapidly expand. This sends pain signals to your brain, warning you of the sudden temperature shift. It’s annoying, but it’s actually your body trying to protect itself!

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You didn’t need us to tell you, but let’s look at the details: The average person has between 12,000 and 60,000 thoughts per day. What’s even more interesting? 95% of those thoughts are the same ones you had yesterday. Is that not surprising enough? Hear this out: 80% of them tend to be negative. That’s because our brains are wired for survival, constantly analyzing risks and potential dangers.

Image: Terry Vlisidis

Even though it only makes up about 2% of your body weight, your brain employs a major quantity of energy! It consumes 20% of your oxygen and blood supply, making it one of the most demanding organs in your body.

If your brain goes without oxygen for just five minutes, brain cells start dying, leading to irreversible damage. This is why deep breathing and cardiovascular exercise are great for brain health!

Image: Alexander Andrews

Do you know that feeling when you hit the back of your head and see stars? That’s because your occipital lobe, which controls vision, is located at the back of your brain. If you get hit there, your brain momentarily misfires, causing flashes of light.

Interestingly, your brain processes vision on the opposite side; while your right brain controls your left eye, your left brain controls your right eye. It’s one of the many ways the brain operates in a complex way.

Image: Rodion Kutsaiev

Believe it or not, your brain generates between 12 and 25 watts of electricity when you’re awake. If you can’t really grasp how powerful that is, check this out: It’s enough to power a small light bulb! Your brain’s electrical activity is what allows neurons to send signals at speeds of up to 260 miles per hour.

Image: Robina Weermeijer

Your brain may be the fattiest organ in your body, consisting of at least 60% fat! This is why consuming healthy fats, like omega-3s and omega-6s present in fish, for example, is essential for brain health.

Healthy fats stabilize brain cell walls, reduce inflammation, and support cognitive function. So go ahead and enjoy that avocado toast, it’s food for your brain!

Image: Robina Weermeijer

It’s not just your memory that fades over time; the brain itself physically shrinks as one gets older. It continues developing until your late 40s, but after that, it slowly decreases in size.

Now, size doesn’t equal intelligence, so a smaller brain doesn’t necessarily mean a less capable one. Staying mentally active, exercising, and eating brain-boosting foods can help keep it in top shape!

Image: Lisa Yount

We often think of cholesterol as bad, but your brain actually depends on it! In fact, 25% of your body’s cholesterol is stored in your brain, where it helps with learning and memory. However, unlike other organs, the brain can’t absorb cholesterol from the blood, it has to produce its own. So, while too much cholesterol in the body can be harmful, the right amount is vital for brain function. At least you can use that as an excuse to get that burger!