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Speech competition honors legacy of late civil rights leader ahead of Inauguration Day
Young Leaders Share Their Dreams for the Future at Foley’s Annual MLK Jr. Oratory Competition
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The voices of tomorrow resonated with hope and inspiration today as elementary students from Dallas, Houston, and Chicago took the stage for the final rounds of Foley & Lardner LLP’s Annual MLK Jr. Oratory Competitions. These talented fourth and fifth-graders delivered original speeches on the timely question: “What would Dr. King tell us about our responsibility as citizens and leaders in America today?”
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Deon Harris, a fourth-grade student from J.P. Starks Math, Science, and Technology Vanguard in Dallas, is overcome with emotion when his name is announced as the winner of Dallas's 33rd Annual Foley MLK Jr. Oratory Competition on January 17, 2025. Photo by Jeff Dietz.
Presented by Foley in celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the competition honors the civil rights leader’s legacy while fostering the next generation of thinkers and speakers. This year, with the Presidential Inauguration coinciding with MLK Jr. Day, the students’ messages of leadership, unity, and civic responsibility are especially poignant. As the nation reflects on Dr. King’s ideals, these young voices remind us of the ongoing work ahead in shaping a brighter future.
Each year, participants present heartfelt three-to-five-minute speeches, deepening their understanding of Dr. King’s principles while showcasing their writing and public speaking skills. Competitors advance through preliminary and semifinal rounds, with students judged on their delivery, stage presence and decorum, content interpretation, and memorization.
“Dr. King’s ideals continue to resonate powerfully today, and it’s inspiring to see them reflected in the voices of these young students,” said Daljit Doogal, Foley chairman and CEO. “For over three decades, this event has grown from a simple idea to inspire the community into a tradition that maintains that same sentiment and now spans three cities, thousands of students, and countless unforgettable moments of wisdom and hope. Foley is honored to celebrate these students and their dreams for a brighter future.”
Winners included Deon Harris, a fourth-grade student from J.P. Starks Math, Science, and Technology Vanguard in Dallas, Montoia Murray, a fifth-grader at Blackshear Elementary in Houston, and Harmony Daniels, a fourth-grade student from Wendell Smith Elementary School in Chicago.
Young Dallas scholar calls for restoring America’s heartbeat
Deon Harris delivered a powerful speech that compared America’s societal struggles to heart failure, urging the nation to heed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s call for compassion and justice. He emphasized that “heartlessness has no place in our society” as it “cuts off the arteries of justice” and cripples progress. Drawing on Dr. King’s wisdom, he reminded us that “a tough mind without a tender heart is cold and detached,” and leaders must take responsibility for reversing the damage through healthy legislation and collective action. The fourth-grader concluded with hope, asserting that “any damage already done is reversible” if we commit to restoring America’s moral pulse for a stronger, united future.
Sidiba Dembele, a fourth-grade student from Solar Preparatory School for Girls, earned second place in the 33rd annual Dallas competition, and fifth-grader Danielle Anderson, a student at Clara Oliver Elementary School, was awarded third place.
Houston student reflects on current events, says America must restart its commitment to justice
Montoia Murray, a fifth-grade student from Blackshear Elementary, earned first place with her captivating speech that likened the late civil rights leader to “a drum major for justice,” [who] “kept the rhythm of the heartbeat of America alive.” The 10-year-old believes Dr. King would tell us that “the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic caused severe damage to our country and our nation’s heartbeat lost its rhythm, causing us to need bypass surgery.” She continued her metaphor and touched on examples of how the country has bypassed justice, peace, and righteousness over the years, reflecting on current events to showcase that “just like the heart needs surgery when it is damaged or weak, the heartbeat of America requires care when it is out of sync filled with hateful rhetoric.”
This marks the second consecutive year that Montoia has claimed first place in the annual Foley MLK Jr. Oratory Competition, making her the first student in the event’s history to win the top spot twice. Jae’Lauryn Brown, a fifth-grade student from Windsor Village Elementary School, earned second place in the 29th annual Houston competition, and fourth-grader Rashaud Williams, a student at MacGregor Elementary School, was awarded third place.
Student from Chicago urges us to listen to the sound of responsibility echoed by Dr. King
In her heartfelt speech, fourth-grade student Harmony Daniels emphasized the importance of fulfilling Dr. King’s dream. She called on America to rise above division and negativity, urging citizens to “hear the sounds of responsibility” and work towards a more just, kind, and loving society. As a self-proclaimed “drum major for justice,” Harmony spoke out for the marginalized, calling on us to march for change and sacrifice for those in need. She boldly concluded, “It’s our responsibility to be brave in every situation and aid his dream to become true,” reaffirming that Dr. King’s vision lives on through our actions.
Aiden Marshall, a fifth-grade student from the Boys and Girls Club of Chicago, earned second place in the sixth annual Chicago competition, and fifth-grader Oluwaferanmi Ekemode, a student at Joseph Warren Elementary School, was awarded third place.
The annual Foley MLK Jr. Oratory Competition was established in Dallas in 1993, which led to the creation of the Houston competition in 1997 and the Chicago event in 2020. More than 270 students participated in this year’s competitions across all three cities.
To learn more about Foley’s MLK Jr. Oratory Competition, click here.
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