Memorial Dedication Speech

How to Write a Memorial Dedication Speech or Eulogy

A eulogy is a well-crafted speech intended to commemorate a loved one who has died. It is usually presented at a memorial service or funeral by someone who was close to the deceased and knows them well. For this assignment, the person you will choose and write/deliver a eulogy for is a leader and martyr from the Civil Rights Movement.

Part 1 of the assignment is a standard written, informational essay. 

Part 2 is the delivery of the informational essay in the form of a euolgy.

Part 1: The eulogy you write must contain:

  1. The answer to this question: "Why is it important to keep the memory of this individual alive?" Answering this question specifically will help create your thesis. (Intro)
  2. A condensed life history of the person who has died, including details about family, friends, work/career, interests, and achievements.  This is the info you find during research. (Body)
  3. Contributions to the Civil Rights Movement including their importance in the struggle against segregation and racism. (Body)
  4. Other interesting information you discover about a martyr from the Civil Rights Movement. (Body)
  5. Remember to summarize your thoughts and prove your thesis. "Why is it important to keep the memory of this individual alive?" (Conclusion)
  6. Write a 1-2 page essay/speech in standard MLA format using 1st or 3rd Person. Use a pre-writing strategy if needed, but you must include a complete bibliography.

Start by realizing the task at hand.

Writing and delivering a eulogy is truly an honor. It is an opportunity for you to bring the deceased person back into the minds of those in attendance. Your words will paint a picture of the deceased through the memories, anecdotes and stories you tell. A eulogy allows the audience to remember the person -- who they were, what they did and what they enjoyed about life.

Choose a leader from the list provided below. Research the martyr by using the Internet, encyclopedias, magazines, newpapers, journal articles, or the notes on the film “Free at Last” viewed in class. 

 • Ralph Abernathy

• Oliver Brown

• James Chaney

• Eldridge Cleaver

• Medgar Evers

• Andrew Goodman

• Fannie Lou Hamer

• Martin Luther King Jr.*

• Viola Greg Liuzzo

• Malcolm X*

• Thurgood Marshall*

• James Meredith

• Huey P. Newton

• A. Philip Randolph

• Rosa Parks*

• Michael Schwerner

• Bobby Seale

• Fred Shuttlesworth

• Emmett Till*

Part 2: Rehearse and Deliver a 2-3 min. Speech 

You decide what information to present to the audience in the eulogy.  The speech may be directly from your essay or you could just use portions of the essay to deliver the speech.  Be creative and innovative; think outside the box.  Just remember that you are honoring the person that you have researched, so tell us why they should be remembered within a 2-3 minute time frame. 

Practice reading the eulogy several times to become familiar with it. You don't have to memorize it unless you really want to. You will want to know it well enough that you won't have to read it word for word but it is a good idea to have a written copy, or at least notes, that you can refer to.

Even if you are comfortable speaking to large groups of people, a eulogy can be a difficult speech to deliver. Try to remember that you are doing this to honor the memory of a Civil Rights Leader, not to gain the approval of the audience. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and picture the deceased in your mind, then begin. Try to speak slowly and breathe throughout. It's easy to hold your breath when you’re nervous. If you need to pause and take a deep breath, do it.

In order to receive credit for this assignment you must:

  1. Turn in the written eulogy (e.g., notes, speech, essay, etc).
  2. Print out a bilbliography containing all of your sources. Must have two diffierent sources represented (i.e. Internet, encyclopedia, historical textbooks, films, etc.)  
  3. Deliver the eulogy to the class as a formal speech.  

Eulogy Due: Friday, January 6 @ the end of the hour.

Speeches Begin: Monday, January 9 @ the beginning of class.

Links:

Speech Rubric       Example Eulogy     Essay Outline    

Graphic Organizer          Example Bibliography          Easybib.com