2016 prize-winning student essays from the competition based on the following topic: Both Martin Luther King, Jr. and Thomas Jefferson chose their words carefully in order to confront problems specific to their generation and historical context. Both have also entered into the pantheon of "Great Americans," and their words--etched in marble, republished, and quoted endlessly--have assumed a "timeless" quality, like secular scripture for our democracy. Please compare Martine Luther King, Jr.'s "Why We Can't Wait" and a text (or texts) of your choice by Thomas Jefferson. You may address their rhetorical styles, specific arguments, and/or contemporary or subsequent reception. What, in your view, is the most significant difference between the two, and what might this difference signify about American history or values?
