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MartinLutherKing,Jr.:IHaveaDream
DeliveredonthestepsattheLincolnMemorialinWashingtonD.C.onAugust28,1963.Source:MartinLutherKing,Jr:ThePeacefulWarrior,PocketBooks,NY1968
Fivescoreyearsago,agreatAmerican,inwhosesymbolicshadowwestandsignedtheEmancipationProclamation.ThismomentousdecreecameasagreatbeaconlightofhopetomillionsofNegroslaveswhohadbeensearedintheflamesofwitheringinjustice.Itcameasajoyousdaybreaktoendthelongnightofcaptivity.Butonehundredyearslater,wemustfacethetragicfactthattheNegroisstillnotfree.
Onehundredyearslater,thelifeoftheNegroisstillsadlycrippledbythemanaclesofsegregationandthechainsofdiscrimination.Onehundredyearslater,theNegrolivesonalonelyislandofpovertyinthemidstofavastoceanofmaterialprosperity.Onehundredyearslater,theNegroisstilllanguishinginthecornersofAmericansocietyandfindshimselfanexileinhisownland.
Sowehaveeheretodaytodramatizeanappallingcondition.Inasensewehaveetoournationscapitaltocashacheck.WhenthearchitectsofourrepublicwrotethemagnificentwordsoftheConstitutionandtheDeclarationofIndependence,theyweresigningapromissorynotetowhicheveryAmericanwastofallheir.
Thisnotewasapromisethatallmenwouldbeguaranteedtheinalienablerightsoflife,liberty,andthepursuitofhappiness.ItisobvioustodaythatAmericahasdefaultedonthispromissorynoteinsofarashercitizensofcolorareconcerned.Insteadofhonoringthissacredobligation,AmericahasgiventheNegropeopleabadcheckwhichhasebackmarkedinsufficientfunds.Butwerefusetobelievethatthebankofjusticeisbankrupt.Werefusetobelievethatthereareinsufficientfundsinthegreatvaultsofopportunityofthisnation.
Sowehaveetocashthischeck--acheckthatwillgiveusupondemandtherichesoffreedomandthesecurityofjustice.WehavealsoetothishallowedspottoremindAmericaofthefierceurgencyofnow.Thisisnotimetoengageintheluxuryofcoolingoffortotakethetranquilizingdrugofgradualism.Nowisthetimetorisefromthedarkanddesolatevalleyofsegregationtothesunlitpathofracialjustice.NowisthetimetoopenthedoorsofopportunitytoallofGodschildren.Nowisthetimetoliftournationfromthequicksandsofracialinjusticetothesolidrockofbrotherhood.
ItwouldbefatalforthenationtooverlooktheurgencyofthemomentandtounderestimatethedeterminationoftheNegro.ThisswelteringsummeroftheNegroslegitimatediscontentwillnotpassuntilthereisaninvigoratingautumnoffreedomandequality.Nieensixty-threeisnotanend,butabeginning.ThosewhohopethattheNegroneededtoblowoffsteamandwillnowbecontentwillhavearudeawakeningifthenationreturnstobusinessasusual.TherewillbeneitherrestnortranquilityinAmericauntiltheNegroisgrantedhiscitizenshiprights.
Thewhirlwindsofrevoltwillcontinuetoshakethefoundationsofournationuntilthebrightdayofjusticeemerges.ButthereissomethingthatImustsaytomypeoplewhostandonthewarmthresholdwhichleadsintothepalaceofjustice.Intheprocessofgainingourrightfulplacewemustnotbeguiltyofwrongfuldeeds.Letusnotseektosatisfyourthirstforfreedombydrinkingfromthecupofbitternessandhatred.
Wemustforeverconductourstruggleonthehighplaneofdignityanddiscipline.wemustnotallowourcreativeprotesttodegenerateintophysicalviolence.Againandagainwemustrisetothemajesticheightsofmeetingphysicalforcewithsoulforce.
ThemarvelousnewmilitancywhichhasengulfedtheNegromunitymustnotleadustodistrustofallwhitepeople,formanyofourwhitebrothers,asevidencedbytheirpresenceheretoday,haveetorealizethattheirdestinyistiedupwithourdestinyandtheirfreedomisinextricablyboundtoourfreedom.
Wecannotwalkalone.Andaswewalk,wemustmakethepledgethatweshallmarchahead.Wecannotturnback.Therearethosewhoareaskingthedevoteesofcivilrights,Whenwillyoubesatisfied?wecanneverbesatisfiedaslongasourbodies,heavywiththefatigueoftravel,cannotgainlodginginthemotelsofthehighwaysandthehotelsofthecities.WecannotbesatisfiedaslongastheNegrosbasicmobilityisfromasmallerghettotoalargerone.WecanneverbesatisfiedaslongasaNegroinMississippicannotvoteandaNegroinNewYorkbelieveshehasnothingforwhichtovote.No,no,wearenotsatisfied,andwewillnotbesatisfieduntiljusticerollsdownlikewatersandrighteousnesslikeamightystream.
Iamnotunmindfulthatsomeofyouhaveehereoutofgreattrialsandtribulations.Someofyouhaveefreshfromnarrowcells.Someofyouhaveefromareaswhereyourquestforfreedomleftyoubatteredbythestormsofpersecutionandstaggeredbythewindsofpolicebrutality.Youhavebeentheveteransofcreativesuffering.Continuetoworkwiththefaiththatunearnedsufferingisredemptive.
GobacktoMississippi,gobacktoAlabama,gobacktoGeia,gobacktoLouisiana,gobacktotheslumsandghettosofournortherncities,knowingthatsomehowthissituationcanandwillbechanged.Letusnotwallowinthevalleyofdespair.Isaytoyoutoday,myfriends,thatinspiteofthedifficultiesandfrustrationsofthemoment,Istillhaveadream.ItisadreamdeeplyrootedintheAmericandream.
Ihaveadreamthatonedaythisnationwillriseupandliveoutthetruemeaningofitscreed:Weholdthesetruthstobeself-evident:thatallmenarecreatedequal.IhaveadreamthatonedayontheredhillsofGeiathesonsofformerslavesandthesonsofformerslaveownerswillbeabletositdowntogetheratatableofbrotherhood.IhaveadreamthatonedayeventhestateofMississippi,adesertstate,swelteringwiththeheatofinjusticeandoppression,willbetransformedintoanoasisoffreedomandjustice.Ihaveadreamthatmyfourchildrenwillonedayliveinanationwheretheywillnotbejudgedbythecoloroftheirskinbutbythecontentoftheircharacter.Ihaveadreamtoday.
IhaveadreamthatonedaythestateofAlabama,whosegovernorslipsarepresentlydrippingwiththewordsofinterpositionandnullification,willbetransformedintoasituationwherelittleblackboysandblackgirlswillbeabletojoinhandswithlittlewhiteboysandwhitegirlsandwalktogetherassistersandbrothers.Ihaveadreamtoday.Ihaveadreamthatonedayeveryvalleyshallbeexalted,everyhillandmountainshallbemadelow,theroughplaceswillbemadeplain,andthecrookedplaceswillbemadestraight,andthegloryoftheLordshallberevealed,andallfleshshallseeittogether.Thisisourhope.ThisisthefaithwithwhichIreturntotheSouth.Withthisfaithwewillbeabletohewoutofthemountainofdespairastoneofhope.Withthisfaithwewillbeabletotransformthejanglingdiscordsofournationintoabeautifulsymphonyofbrotherhood.Withthisfaithwewillbeabletoworktogether,topraytogether,tostruggletogether,togotojailtogether,tostandupforfreedomtogether,knowingthatwewillbefreeoneday.
ThiswillbethedaywhenallofGodschildrenwillbeabletosingwithanewmeaning,Mycountry,tisofthee,sweetlandofliberty,oftheeIsing.Landwheremyfathersdied,landofthepilgrimspride,fromeverymountainside,letfreedomring.AndifAmericaistobeagreatnation,thismustbeetrue.SoletfreedomringfromtheprodigioushilltopsofNewHampshire.LetfreedomringfromthemightymountainsofNewYork.LetfreedomringfromtheheighteningAllegheniesofPennsylvania!LetfreedomringfromthesnowcappedRockiesofColorado!LetfreedomringfromthecurvaceouspeaksofCalifornia!Butnotonlythat;letfreedomringfromStoneMountainofGeia!LetfreedomringfromLookoutMountainofTennessee!LetfreedomringfromeveryhillandeverymolehillofMississippi.Fromeverymountainside,letfreedomring.
Whenweletfreedomring,whenweletitringfromeveryvillageandeveryhamlet,fromeverystateandeverycity,wewillbeabletospeedupthatdaywhenallofGodschildren,blackmenandwhitemen,JewsandGentiles,ProtestantsandCatholics,willbeabletojoinhandsandsinginthewordsoftheoldNegrospiritual,Freeatlast!freeatlast!thankGodAlmighty,wearefreeatlast!