Question

But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity.

How does the repeated phrase support King’s message?

by emphasizing that time has passed without social progress
by suggesting that freedom will come eventually without effort
by insisting that people cooperate to achieve a common goal
by hinting that all Americans should strive for material wealth

Answer 1

by emphasizing that time has passed without social progress

The repeated phrase ("One hundred years later") uses anaphora to stress that a century after emancipation, African Americans still face segregation, discrimination, and poverty — underscoring the lack of real progress and the urgent need for change.