Clarence B. Jones, the man who helped Martin Luther King Jr. draft his famous "I Have a Dream" speech, recently spoke about the experience in an interview with All Things Considered. Jones, who was King's personal attorney, adviser, and speechwriter, revealed that the process leading up to the iconic speech was not as commonly portrayed. Contrary to popular belief, Jones did not work with King on the speech at the Willard Hotel; instead, he had prepared a text as a reference for King to consider before the speech.

In the interview, Jones recalled that King had always found it challenging to start a speech and often struggled with how to begin. Jones had written out a text on yellow sheets of paper the night before the speech, providing King with a potential opening for his address. However, when Jones listened to King's speech, he was surprised to hear that King had used the exact text he had given him.

The interview with Clarence B. Jones offers a fresh perspective on the historic "I Have a Dream" speech and sheds light on the collaborative effort behind it. Despite the misconceptions surrounding the speech's creation, Jones's account highlights the significance of his contribution and the impact of King's powerful words.