I have a dream

This sweltering summer of the Negro’s legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality.

One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination.

We cannot be satisfied as long as the negro’s basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one.

And so we’ve come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.In a sense we’ve come to our nation’s capital to cash a check.

Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked “insufficient funds.

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.

Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.

The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny.

We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now.

This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism.

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations.

And some of you have come from areas where your quest — quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality.

There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, “When will you be satisfied?"

It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned.

We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt.

One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land.

Five score 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.

And when this happens, when 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 of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:

Free at last!

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.

Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked “insufficient funds.

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 hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope.

The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny.

One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination.

And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.

The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.

Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.

Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice.

We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence.

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.

This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the “unalienable Rights" of “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked “insufficient funds.

We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now.

This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism.

We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline.

And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead.

We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities.

I have a dream today!I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; “and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.

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.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.

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.

And those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual.

And those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual.

We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now.

This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism.

One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity.

You have been the veterans of creative suffering.

It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned.

One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity.

Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God’s children.It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.

This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the “unalienable Rights" of “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

"I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.But not only that:

Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.

Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood.

We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now.

This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism.

Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.

The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.

We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now.

This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism.

But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice: In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds.

We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality.

Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked “insufficient funds.

Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked “insufficient funds.

I have a dream today!I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; “and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.

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.

The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny.

And so, we’ve come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.

One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity.

And some of you have come from areas where your quest — quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality.

Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells.

There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, “When will you be satisfied?"

But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice: In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds.

And there will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights.

And so we’ve come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.In a sense we’ve come to our nation’s capital to cash a check.

I have a dream today!I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; “and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.

The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny.

No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until “justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream."

We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation.

One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land.

Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells.

We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline.

I have a dream today!I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; “and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.

It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned.

Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.