How do I cite a speech in Chicago?

To cite a speech in Chicago (18th edition), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.

What is the Chicago format for a speech citation?

The Chicago format for a speech is: 1. Speaker Name, “Title of Speech,” speech, Event, Venue, City, Month Day, Year, medium, URL.

How to Cite a Speech in Chicago (18th edition)

Learn how to cite speeches, addresses, and sermons, live or recorded in Chicago format (18th edition). This guide includes the reference list format, in-text citation examples, and key formatting rules.

Chicago Bibliography Format

Here is the standard Chicago format for citing a speech in your bibliography:

1. Speaker Name, “Title of Speech,” speech, Event, Venue, City, Month Day, Year, medium, URL.

Chicago Example for a Speech

A complete Chicago reference for a speech, written by hand and checked against the official Chicago guidance for this source:

King, Martin Luther, Jr. “I Have a Dream.” Speech, March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, Lincoln Memorial, Washington, DC, August 28, 1963. Audio. https://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm.

Matching in-text citation: 1. Martin Luther King Jr., “I Have a Dream,” speech, March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, Lincoln Memorial, Washington, DC, August 28, 1963, audio, https://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm.

Chicago In-Text Citation

Use one of these formats when referencing this source within your paper:

Parenthetical

Footnote: 1. Martin Luther King Jr., “I Have a Dream,” speech, March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, Lincoln Memorial, Washington, DC, August 28, 1963, audio, https://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm.

Narrative

Shortened note: 2. King, “I Have a Dream.”

Key Chicago Formatting Rules

Put the speech title in quotation marks and describe it as a speech, then give the event, venue, city and date.
For a recording or transcript, add the medium (audio, video or transcript) and the URL of the version you used.
For a speech you heard live, end the note with the date; there is no URL.
In the bibliography, invert the speaker’s name and separate the elements with periods.

Step-by-Step Guide

Gather source information: Collect the author name, title, publication date, and URL or DOI for your speech.
Format the reference: Arrange the elements following the Chicago (18th edition) template shown above.
Create the in-text citation: Add a parenthetical or narrative citation in your paper where you reference this source.
Add to your bibliography: Include the full formatted citation at the end of your paper.
Double-check formatting: Verify italics, punctuation, capitalization, and hanging indents match Chicago requirements.

Evidence and review notes

Worked examples on this page are written by hand from the style's own published guidance and checked against it, because the general CSL styles do not encode this source's rules. Editorial guidance and sources in this section were reviewed on 2026-08-14.

Metadata to collect

speaker's name
title of the speech, or a short description
date the speech was delivered
event, venue and city
whether you used a recording, a transcript or the live event
URL or publication details of the version you used

Common metadata traps

A transcript and a recording are different versions; name the one you actually used, and do not cite a recording if you only read the text.
A speech reprinted in a book or anthology is cited as a part of that book, with the book’s date, not as a free-standing speech.
A video of a speech on YouTube is credited to the account that uploaded it in APA, which may not be the speaker; check who posted it.

Editorial sources

Chicago Manual of Style — citation quick guide →

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite a speech in Chicago?: To cite a speech in Chicago (18th edition), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.
What is the Chicago format for a speech citation?: The Chicago format for a speech is: 1. Speaker Name, “Title of Speech,” speech, Event, Venue, City, Month Day, Year, medium, URL.
What does the in-text citation look like for a speech in Chicago?: In Chicago, the in-text citation for the example above is Footnote: 1. Martin Luther King Jr., “I Have a Dream,” speech, March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, Lincoln Memorial, Washington, DC, August 28, 1963, audio, https://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm.