Fifty years on: 'King's dream continues to inspire us'
'(1 HAVE A DREAM ..."(Copyright 1963, M.~RTINLVTFIERKING,JR.)
Speeoh by the Rev. MAXTINLUTHEEKINGA t the "Marah ~n Wa&hi~xgton"
I am happy to join with you today in what will go downin history as the greatest demonstration for freedom inthe histmy of olw nation.
Fivesmreyeag agoagreatAmericaninwhwsp-Imlic shadow we stand today signed the EmancipationProshation. This momen~tousdeoree is a great W nlight of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had beenseared in the flames of withering injustice. It cmm ais ajoyous d:tybreak to end the long night of their captivity.But 100 years later the Negro still is nok free. One hun-dred yearn later the life of t,he Xegro is still badlycrippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains ofdiwrimination. One hundred gears later the Negro liveson a lonely island of povedp in the mjidst d a vast meamof matr.ria1 prosperity. Ow hundred years later theNegao is still lanlgnisl~cdill the cornem of American=ie$ and finds hinleclf in exile in his m l a d . Sowu'vc come ho1.c. today to (1mma.tize a shamdul ccmditicm.
In a sense w~tl'wGome to our nation's capital to cash
a c+heck. When the aJrrahiteet.so~four Republic wrote the
m z p i f i e m t W O I - ( 1 os f t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n a n d t h e h l a r a t i o n
d Lmdepcintlc.nce, thcp were signing a promissory note to
which ewry hlerioan was to fall heir. This note was apromise that. dl IWII-yes, black nwn as well as whiteme-n-would he g~al.a~ltwdthe unalienable rights of life,liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It is obvious today
tha$ America has defaulted on this promissory note inso-
fkr a s hnr citizens of cololr a r c c.oncerned. Ins'tead of ,-
Speeoh by the Rev. MAXTINLUTHEEKINGA t the "Marah ~n Wa&hi~xgton"
I am happy to join with you today in what will go downin history as the greatest demonstration for freedom inthe histmy of olw nation.
Fivesmreyeag agoagreatAmericaninwhwsp-Imlic shadow we stand today signed the EmancipationProshation. This momen~tousdeoree is a great W nlight of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had beenseared in the flames of withering injustice. It cmm ais ajoyous d:tybreak to end the long night of their captivity.But 100 years later the Negro still is nok free. One hun-dred yearn later the life of t,he Xegro is still badlycrippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains ofdiwrimination. One hundred gears later the Negro liveson a lonely island of povedp in the mjidst d a vast meamof matr.ria1 prosperity. Ow hundred years later theNegao is still lanlgnisl~cdill the cornem of American=ie$ and finds hinleclf in exile in his m l a d . Sowu'vc come ho1.c. today to (1mma.tize a shamdul ccmditicm.
In a sense w~tl'wGome to our nation's capital to cash
a c+heck. When the aJrrahiteet.so~four Republic wrote the
m z p i f i e m t W O I - ( 1 os f t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n a n d t h e h l a r a t i o n
d Lmdepcintlc.nce, thcp were signing a promissory note to
which ewry hlerioan was to fall heir. This note was apromise that. dl IWII-yes, black nwn as well as whiteme-n-would he g~al.a~ltwdthe unalienable rights of life,liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It is obvious today
tha$ America has defaulted on this promissory note inso-
fkr a s hnr citizens of cololr a r c c.oncerned. Ins'tead of ,-
honoring this sacred obligation, ~ m e & a has given theN e p o people a bad deck, a check whioh has come backmarked "inisrdfioient funds."
But we refuse to believe that tihe bank of justice istmikrupt. W e ~.ef,fusteo belierc? that there are insufficientSuncis in the gma,t vaults of opportunity of this nation.So we've come to cash this check, ti check that will give11s upon demand the ridlcs of f~eedomand the security ofjustice.
We have dw conic to this hallowed spot to remindAmerica of the fierce urgcacp of now. This is no time tocl~g,agcin the 11ixui~of cooling off or to ta.ke the t-ran-quilizing di-ng of gradualism. Now is the time to makeleal the prmlisos of democracy. Now is the time to risefrom the dark and rlcsolatt. valley of segregation to themillit path of racial j~wticc~.Now is the time to lift our
ion from the qaicksands of racial injustice to the solidrock of bbr.fitfherhowl.
Now is the time t.o nlalrc justice a 1-mlity for all a€God's child~en. It wo~.ltlbe fatd for the nation to over-look the urgency of the momen,t. This swelte&.g summerof the Xegro's legitimate discontent. will nat pass untilthere is an invigol-atiag autumn of freedm and equality-1963 is not an end but rz beginning. who hopethat the Xegro needed to blow off sim.m and will now bec*cmtenlwill have a n d c a wakening if the miioln retumwto business as wud.
There will be neither rest nor tranquility In America,until the Negro is granted his fiitizenship rights. Thewhirlwinds of revolt will con:t.inue to shake the f o u d a -tiom of our nation until the bright d q s of justice merge.
(Copyright 1963. MARTINLCTI-XFKRIW., JR.)
But we refuse to believe that tihe bank of justice istmikrupt. W e ~.ef,fusteo belierc? that there are insufficientSuncis in the gma,t vaults of opportunity of this nation.So we've come to cash this check, ti check that will give11s upon demand the ridlcs of f~eedomand the security ofjustice.
We have dw conic to this hallowed spot to remindAmerica of the fierce urgcacp of now. This is no time tocl~g,agcin the 11ixui~of cooling off or to ta.ke the t-ran-quilizing di-ng of gradualism. Now is the time to makeleal the prmlisos of democracy. Now is the time to risefrom the dark and rlcsolatt. valley of segregation to themillit path of racial j~wticc~.Now is the time to lift our
ion from the qaicksands of racial injustice to the solidrock of bbr.fitfherhowl.
Now is the time t.o nlalrc justice a 1-mlity for all a€God's child~en. It wo~.ltlbe fatd for the nation to over-look the urgency of the momen,t. This swelte&.g summerof the Xegro's legitimate discontent. will nat pass untilthere is an invigol-atiag autumn of freedm and equality-1963 is not an end but rz beginning. who hopethat the Xegro needed to blow off sim.m and will now bec*cmtenlwill have a n d c a wakening if the miioln retumwto business as wud.
There will be neither rest nor tranquility In America,until the Negro is granted his fiitizenship rights. Thewhirlwinds of revolt will con:t.inue to shake the f o u d a -tiom of our nation until the bright d q s of justice merge.
(Copyright 1963. MARTINLCTI-XFKRIW., JR.)
Anii that is something that I must say to my people whoat& an the worn threshold whioh leads the palmof justice. In the prmess d gaining our rightful p l wwe must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us notseek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by dl-i;nking fromthe cup of bithrness anld hahd.
We must forever conduct our struggle cm t~hehigh planeof dignity and diwipline. We must not allow oar erea-tive proltests to degenerate into physicd videme. Againandagainwe must. rise to t
They have come t30 realize that their freedom is in-extricably hound to qur fredorn. We cannot walk alone.And rn we walk we must make the pledge that we shallalways march ahead. We cannot turn back. There arethase who atweasldng the devotees of civil rights, "Whenwill you be satisfied?" W e can never be satisfied as lomgas the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors ofpolice brutality.
Tire can never. be mtisficd as long as our bodie~s,heavywith the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in thematds of the highways and the hot& od the &ties.
We mnmt be satisfied as long as the Negro's basicmobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. Wecan never be satisfied a+slong as our children a r e atrippedof the,ir adulthood and robbed of their dignity by signsstating "For Whites Only."
(Copyright 1963. MARTIHLUTHERKING,JR.)
We must forever conduct our struggle cm t~hehigh planeof dignity and diwipline. We must not allow oar erea-tive proltests to degenerate into physicd videme. Againandagainwe must. rise to t
They have come t30 realize that their freedom is in-extricably hound to qur fredorn. We cannot walk alone.And rn we walk we must make the pledge that we shallalways march ahead. We cannot turn back. There arethase who atweasldng the devotees of civil rights, "Whenwill you be satisfied?" W e can never be satisfied as lomgas the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors ofpolice brutality.
Tire can never. be mtisficd as long as our bodie~s,heavywith the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in thematds of the highways and the hot& od the &ties.
We mnmt be satisfied as long as the Negro's basicmobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. Wecan never be satisfied a+slong as our children a r e atrippedof the,ir adulthood and robbed of their dignity by signsstating "For Whites Only."
(Copyright 1963. MARTIHLUTHERKING,JR.)
,
We canad be srtthfid a63 10% as the-Negro in Mis-sisbippi oannot vote and the %fegro' in New York believeshe has nothing for prrbiah to vde.
6\
No, no, we are not satisfied, d we will wit be sakis- .Eeduntil justice.rolls down like wakemiazEdrightemm~like ,a mighty beam.
I ain not unmindful that some otf you have c d e here',
out of' gm.t trials a.nd tribulation. Some of you havecome frewh from narrow jail d l s . Some of you have 'oom4 from areas where your ,quest for freedm left you1m.ttered by the stoms of persecuhn and stagger& bythe winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans'
of creative suffering.
Continue to work with the faith that-n m m d sufferkg
is redemptive. Go baek to hiississippi, go back to Ala-f
h m a , go back to Sonth Carolina, go back to Georgia, go .twk to Louisiana, go back to the slum and ghet-tmd ourNmthern cities, knowing t.bt somehow this situation &anand will be cihamged. Lit us not wa.Ilow in the vailey ofdespair.
Isaytoyou%daym,yfriends,though,eventhoughwe face the difficultiesof toclay and torno~~owI,still hawa dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the Amerieaacham. I have a dream thak me day this nation will riseup, live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold thesetruths to be self-erident, that all men are created equal."
I have a dream t b t olle day on the red hills of Georgiasow of for~rmeis-laves and the *om of former slave-ownerswill be able to sit down together at tqhetable of brother-hod. I have a dream that one day even the state ofMississippi, a state sweltering with the beat d injustice,
(Copyright 1963, MARTINLUTHFK~ING,JR.)
6\
No, no, we are not satisfied, d we will wit be sakis- .Eeduntil justice.rolls down like wakemiazEdrightemm~like ,a mighty beam.
I ain not unmindful that some otf you have c d e here',
out of' gm.t trials a.nd tribulation. Some of you havecome frewh from narrow jail d l s . Some of you have 'oom4 from areas where your ,quest for freedm left you1m.ttered by the stoms of persecuhn and stagger& bythe winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans'
of creative suffering.
Continue to work with the faith that-n m m d sufferkg
is redemptive. Go baek to hiississippi, go back to Ala-f
h m a , go back to Sonth Carolina, go back to Georgia, go .twk to Louisiana, go back to the slum and ghet-tmd ourNmthern cities, knowing t.bt somehow this situation &anand will be cihamged. Lit us not wa.Ilow in the vailey ofdespair.
Isaytoyou%daym,yfriends,though,eventhoughwe face the difficultiesof toclay and torno~~owI,still hawa dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the Amerieaacham. I have a dream thak me day this nation will riseup, live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold thesetruths to be self-erident, that all men are created equal."
I have a dream t b t olle day on the red hills of Georgiasow of for~rmeis-laves and the *om of former slave-ownerswill be able to sit down together at tqhetable of brother-hod. I have a dream that one day even the state ofMississippi, a state sweltering with the beat d injustice,
(Copyright 1963, MARTINLUTHFK~ING,JR.)
sweltering with tihe heat of oppression, will be trans-f'onned h t o an oasis of freedom and 'justice.
I have a ream that my four little children will m e daylivein a 13iat.icmwhere they will not be judged by theoololrof ;their ~ k ibiut by the content of their &rmtm.r.r I haveu dram ...I have a dresjlm that one cEay in AJabama.,with ibs vbious racists, with its governor h.avin.g his lipsdripping with the wards of interpwitim wd nullifi+tion,one day right t.here in Alabama little black boys and blackgirls will be able to join hands with litkle white boyis andwhite girls as sist&s and brothers.
1 b v g a dream today ...I have a aream that one dayevery vadley shall be exdted, every hill and mountain&dl be made low. The rough places wild be made plain,aad the crooked places 'will be made straight. &nd theglory of the Lord shall be rereal&, and all flesh &all seeit together. This is our hope. This is thle faith that 1go I>aolc to bhhc Sout.h wi1,h. Wikh this faith we wil beable to hew out d the mount& of despair a stane ofI~o~rn.Vith this faith we will be able to transform thejsl~glingdiscordsof ournationintoab~utifs~ymlphonycd' brotherhwd. MTith this faith we will be able ta worktogether, to pray to get he^, to struggle together, to go tojail together, to stand ap for freedom @ether, knowingthat we will he frre one day.
This will be the day when all of God's ahildren will beable to sing with new meaning. "My country, 'tis of thee,swot lami of liberty, of t h e I sing. Land where my?'athers d i d , land of the pilgrim's pride, from everyn~ountainside, let freedom ring." And if h e r i m is tohe rr great nation, this mudt become true. So let freedomsing from the pr~igioushilltops d New Hampshire.Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New
(Copyright 1963, MARTISIXI'HERKING,JR.)
I have a ream that my four little children will m e daylivein a 13iat.icmwhere they will not be judged by theoololrof ;their ~ k ibiut by the content of their &rmtm.r.r I haveu dram ...I have a dresjlm that one cEay in AJabama.,with ibs vbious racists, with its governor h.avin.g his lipsdripping with the wards of interpwitim wd nullifi+tion,one day right t.here in Alabama little black boys and blackgirls will be able to join hands with litkle white boyis andwhite girls as sist&s and brothers.
1 b v g a dream today ...I have a aream that one dayevery vadley shall be exdted, every hill and mountain&dl be made low. The rough places wild be made plain,aad the crooked places 'will be made straight. &nd theglory of the Lord shall be rereal&, and all flesh &all seeit together. This is our hope. This is thle faith that 1go I>aolc to bhhc Sout.h wi1,h. Wikh this faith we wil beable to hew out d the mount& of despair a stane ofI~o~rn.Vith this faith we will be able to transform thejsl~glingdiscordsof ournationintoab~utifs~ymlphonycd' brotherhwd. MTith this faith we will be able ta worktogether, to pray to get he^, to struggle together, to go tojail together, to stand ap for freedom @ether, knowingthat we will he frre one day.
This will be the day when all of God's ahildren will beable to sing with new meaning. "My country, 'tis of thee,swot lami of liberty, of t h e I sing. Land where my?'athers d i d , land of the pilgrim's pride, from everyn~ountainside, let freedom ring." And if h e r i m is tohe rr great nation, this mudt become true. So let freedomsing from the pr~igioushilltops d New Hampshire.Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New
(Copyright 1963, MARTISIXI'HERKING,JR.)
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