A curated collection of historically and culturally significant speech acts
Welcome to the COMM-C1000 Great Speeches Wiki — a curated collection of historically and culturally significant speech acts created by students in Introduction to Public Speaking at College of the Desert.
While many entries feature classic oratory, this collection also includes congressional testimony, film monologues, performances of historical speeches, TED Talks, and other forms of public discourse that students found rhetorically compelling. What unites these entries is not format but function: each represents a meaningful moment of persuasion, inspiration, education or cultural impact that students found significant.
Each entry analyzes a speech act that matters: one with a clear rhetorical situation, accessible primary media, and substantive civic, cultural, or historical significance. Students apply rhetorical concepts—situation, appeals, organization, devices, and delivery—to examine how speakers move audiences and shape public discourse.
Entries include core identification (speaker, date, occasion, audience), rhetorical analysis (argument, appeals, notable techniques), delivery observations, and impact/legacy—all (theoretically) supported by credible sources and proper attributions.
These entries are authored by students and represent their original analysis and research. Each entry has been lightly edited for consistency and clarity while preserving each student's original voice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2kWIa8wSC0 The purpose of this speech is to prevent violence and riots by appealing to understanding and compassion within the community. Kennedy draws on his own experience of losing his…
https://youtu.be/uL2ztWv70wE?si=9paDeFk2B_EXno0t Jim Carrey's commencement address to the graduating class of 2014 at Maharishi International University of Management is considered "one of the best commencement speeches ever" (Jim Carrey, 2014, n.d.).…
https://youtu.be/kOQT_4A1eb8?si=CVetuS7lBdfZl5OC Zohran Mamdani's victory speech is a definitive declaration of a political mandate for change, framing his win not merely as an electoral victory but as the beginning of a…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVUHntJ7FCY Meryl Streep's 2017 Golden Globes acceptance speech for the Cecil B. DeMille Award uses her platform to deliver a pointed message: protect journalism and immigrants by invoking the power…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3sx8-V5XIY&t=2s Damon Albarn is a man who has always been quite vocal about not only his personal beliefs but also his political beliefs. His speech at the BRIT Awards 2018…
https://youtu.be/4-Qnwjt7yvY?si=uK6GSsJEXQnN1e0B In her ICON Award acceptance speech at Black Girls Rock!, Angela Bassett delivers a powerful message centered on affirmation, resilience, and self-worth. Her central argument is that Black women…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNYmK19-d0U&t=3s The purpose of this speech is to inform the nation and the world that the United States successfully carried out a raid to kill Osama bin Laden, delivering justice…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_3u41KI57E Victor Wooten's 2016 commencement speech for the University of Vermont's Rubenstein School was a celebratory address delivered to graduates. Throughout the speech, he uses comedy and anecdotes to remind…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWQE8r1QZv0 Cesar Chavez, co-founder and president of the United Farm Workers (UFW), delivered this speech at multiple public events during the national grape boycott campaign, with one widely cited version…
https://youtu.be/MN5YnVlDnIQ The central purpose of Kevin Durant's MVP acceptance speech was to express gratitude toward his mother, Wanda Durant, while also acknowledging everyone who supported him throughout his career. A…