martin luther king i have a dream speech
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
S of martin luther king I have a dream
After the ceremonies began, Martin Luther King walked up to the podium on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, and began. I am happy to join with you today. In what will go down in history. As the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation. 5 four years ago, a great American in whose symbolic shadow we stand today. Signed the Emancipation proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great Beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves. Who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous day break. To end the long night of their captivity. But 100 years later, the Negro still is not free. 100 years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. 100 years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty.
In the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity, 100 years later. Still landing with in the corners of American society. We find himself in exile in his own land. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the constitution and the Declaration of Independence. They will signing a commissary note. To remember America was to fall out. This note was a promise that all men. Yes. Black men as well as white men. Would be guaranteed unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note in so far as citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check. A check which has come back marked insufficient signs. But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe the bad are insufficient songs in the great folks of opportunity of this nation.
So we have come to cash this check, a check that will give us a pound demand, the riches of freedom and the security of justice. So come to this hallowed spot. To remind America of the fear urgency of now. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racism. Now is the time. From the quicksand of racial inductive to the solid rock of Robert hood now is the time. Now those who asking the devotees of civil rights. When will you be satisfied? We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horror of police brutality. We can not be satisfied as long as the Negro in Mississippi can not vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No. No, we are not satisfied and we will not be satisfied until subtle down like water and righteousness like a mighty free. And it's not wallowing in the valley of the stairs. I say to you today my friend.
Even though we face the difficulties of the day and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American Dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up, live out the true meaning of its creed. We hold these two to be self evident that all men are created. I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Jordan. The sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners. Will they be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood? I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi of state sweltering with the heat of injustice. Sweltering with the heat of oppression. Be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream. My four little children. One day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. I have a dream to be. I have a dream that one day. In Alabama with this racist with the government having here for lip dripping with the words of interposition and nullification.
One day right now in Alabama, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and sisters and brothers. I have a dream today. I have a dream that one day every bell is so big. Every field in mounting so be made more rough places would be made plain and the crooked places will be made clear and the gore of the lord could be revealed at all see it together. This is our hope. This is the pain that I go back to the south with. With this faith, we will be able to secure out of the mountain of the stair of stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood with this faith. We will be able to work together to pray together to struggle together to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together. Knowing that we will be free one day this will be the day this will be the day when all of God's children. Be able to sing with new meaning, my country tears will be. We land of liberty of BRC. Land where my father died land of the pilgrims side. From every mountain fire. That freedom ringing in the Americas to be a great nation.
This must become true. So let freedom ring. From the produce of hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring. From the mighty mountains of New York. Yes. That freedom raised from the heightening allegations of Pennsylvania. That freedom ring from the vocabulary is the Colorado. This freedom ring from the crevice of folks of California. Not only that, let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia. That freedom ring from lookout mountain of Tennessee. Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi from every mountainside. Let freedom ring and win this happens. Then we allow freedom ring. When we let it ring from every village and every Hamlet from every state and every city. We will be able to speed up that day when all about children black men and white men do in 10,000 Catholics will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual.
Free at last, free at last. We are fearing. By using biblical language, king created a moral imperative. His marchers became crusaders, and he a symbolic Moses to deliver Americans to the promised land. The speech was structured like a classic tale of good triumphant over evil. By reciting the words of my country tis of thee king invited all listeners to participate in the victory. Within two months of king's speech, Congress passed a new civil rights bill into law. For many, the rally was a success. For others, the dream would not come soon enough.