On March 15, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson (1908-1973) delivered this speech in response to recent events in Selma, Alabama, where civil rights protesters had been brutally beaten on “Bloody Sunday.” His speech inspired the U.S. Congress to pass key legislation that protected voting rights for African Americans. This text is for grade 10 students, as you read, take notes on how President Johnson uses rhetoric to persuade his audience. We Shall Overcome Speech by President Lyndon B. Johnson is in the public domain.