Portland observer., April 06, 1978, Page 8, Image 8

I HAVE A DREAM
I am h ap py to jo in w ith you to d a y in w h a t w ill go
d o w n in history as the g reatest d e m o n s tra tio n fo r fre e d o m in the
h isto ry o f o u r n a tio n .
Five score years a g o , a g re a t A m e ric a n , in w hose sym bo lic
sh ad ow w e stand to d a y, sign ed th e E m a ncipa tion P ro cla m a tio n.
This m o m e n to u s d e cre e com e as a g re a t b eacon lig h t o f hop e t<5
m illio n s o f N e g ro slaves, w h o hod been seated in the fla m e s o f
w ith e rin g inju stice It cam e as a joyous d o y b re a k to e nd the long
n ig h t o f th e ir ca p tivity.
But o ne h u n d re d years later, the N eg ro is s till n ot free. One
h u n d re d years la te r, the life o f th e N egro is still sa dly c rip p le d by
the m on ocle s o f se g re g a tio n a nd the chains o f d is c rim in a tio n .
O ne h u n d re d years later, the N e g ro lives on a lo n e ly island o f
p o v e rty in th e m id st o f c vast ocean o f m a te ria l pro spe rity. O ne
h u n d re d years la te r, the N e g ro is still la n gu ishe d in the corners o f
A m e rica n so ciety a n d fin d s h im s e lf on e x ile in his o w n lan d So
w e have com e h ere to d a y to d ra m a tiz e a sh a m e fu l c o n d itio n .
In a sense w e 'v e com e to o u r n a tio n 's C ap itol to cosh a check.
W hen the arch itects o f our re p u b lic w ro te the m a g n ific e n t w ords
o f the C on stitu tio n a nd th e D e cla ra tio n o f In de pe n de nce , they
w e re sig n in g a p ro m isso ry n o te to w h ic h e ve ry A m e ric a n was to
fa ll h e ir. This n ote w as a p ro m ise th a t a ll m en - yes, Black m en
as w e ll as w h ite m en — w o u ld be g u a ra n te e d th e u n a lie n a b le
rig h ts o f life , lib e rty , o nd th e p ursu it o f happiness
It is o b vio u s to d a y th a t A m e ric a has d e fa u lte d on this
p ro m isso ry n ote inso fa r as h e r citizens o f co lo r are concerned
Insteod o f h o n o rin g this sacred o b lig a tio n , A m e ric a has g ive n the
N e g ro p e o p le a bod check: a check w h ich has com e back m arked
" in s u ffic ie n t fu n d s ". But w e refu se to b e lie v e th a t the bank o f
lustice is b a n kru p t.
W e refu se to b e lie v e th a t there are
in s u ffic ie n t fu n d s in th e g re a t va ults o f o p p o rtu n ity o f this natio n.
So w e 'v e com e to cosh this check - a check th a t w ill g iv e us upon
d e m a n d the riches o f fre e d o m a n d th e security o f justice We
h ove also com e to this h a llo w e d spot to re m in d A m e ric a o f the
fie rc e urgency o f N O W This is no tim e to e n g a g e in th e luxu ry o f
c o o lin g o ff or to ta ke the tra n q u iliz m g d ru g o f g ra d u a lis m N o w is
the tim e to m a ke re a l th e pro m ise s o f D em ocracy. N o w is the tim e
to rise fro m the dark a nd d e s o la te v a lle y o f s e g re g a tio n to the
su n lit p ath o f ro c ia ' justice N o w is the tim e to lift o u r n a tio n from
the quicksands o f ra c ia l in ju stice to th e s o lid rock o f b ro th e rh o o d
N o w is the tim e to m o ke justice a re a lity fo r a ll o f G o d's ch ild re n.
It w o u ld be fa ta l fo r th e n a tio n to o v e rlo o k the urg en cy o f the
m om ent.
This s w e lte rin g su m m e r o f the N e g ro 's le g itim a te
disco nten t w ill not pass u n til th e re is an in v ig o ra tin g a utu m n o f
fre e d o m o nd e q u a lity . N in te e n sixty -th re e is n ot an end, but a
b e g in n in g Those w ho hope th a t th e N e g ro n e e d e d to b lo w o ff
steam and w ill n o w be co n te n t w ill h a v e a rud e a w a k e n in g if the
n atio n returns to business as usual. There w ill be n e ith e r rest nor
tra n q u ility m A m e ric a u n til th e N e g ro is g ra n te d his citiz e n s h ip
rights
The w h irlw in d s o f re v o lt w ill c o n tin u e to shake the
fo u n d a tio n s o f our n a tio n u n til the b rig h t d a y o f justice em erges.
Bu’ that is s o m e th in g tha» I m ust soy to m y p e o p le w n o stand on
the w a rm th re s h o ld w h ic h leads in to th e p a la c e o f justice. In
the process o f g a in in g o u r rig h tfu l p la ce w e m ust not be g u ilty o f
w ro n g fu l deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy o u r th irst fo r fre e d o m by
d rin k in g fro m th e cup o f bitterness a n d hatred
W e m ust fo re v e r conduct our stru g g le on th e h ig h p la n e o f
d ig n ity a nd d is c ip lin e . W e must n ot a llo w o u r c re a tiv e protest to
d e g e n e ra te in to p h ysica l v io le n c e A g o m a n d a g a in w e m ust rise
to the m ajestic h e ig h ts o f m e e tin g p hysical fo rc e w ith soul fo rce .
The m a rve lo u s n e w m ilita n c y w h ic h has e n g u lfe d th e N egro
c o m m u n ity m ust n ot lea d us to a distrust o f a ll w h ite p e o p le , fo r
m any o f our w h ite brothers, as e v id e n c e d by th e ir presence here
todav, h ave co m e to re a liz e th a t th e ir d e s tin y is tie d up w ith our
destiny. A nd th e y h ove com e to re a liz e th a t th e ir fre e d o m is
in e x tric a b ly b o u n d to o u r fre e d o m . W e ca n n o t w a lk a lo ne .
A nd as w e w a lk , w e m ust m a k e th e p le d g e th a t w e shall
a lw a y s m arch a h e a d . W e ca nn ot tu rn back There are those w ho
ask the d e vo te e s o f c iv il rights, "W h e n w ill you be s a tis fie d ? " We
con n eve r be s a tis fie d as lon g as the N e g ro is the v ic tim o f the
u n sp e a ka b le horro rs o f p o lic e b ru ta lity . W e can n eve r be satisfied
as lo n g as o u r b od ie s, h ea vy w ith the fa tig u e o f tra v e l, cannot
gam lo d g in g in th e m o te ls o f the h ig h w a y s a n d the hote ls o f the
cities
W e c a n n o t be sa tisfied as lo n g as the N e g ro 's basic
m o b ility is fro m a s m a lle r g h e tto to a la rg e r one. W e can never be
sa tisfied as lon g as o u r c h ild re n a re strip p e d o f th e ir s e lfh o o d and
rob b e d o f th e ir d ig n ity by signs sta ting "F o r W hites O n ly " We
connot be s a tisfie d as lo n g as a N e g ro in M ississippi cannot vote
ond o N e g ro in N e w York b e lie v e s he has n o th in g fo r w hich to
vote N o, no, w e a re not sa tisfied , a nd w e w ill not be satisfied
u n til justice ro lls d o w n lik e w a te rs a nd righteousness lik e a
m ig h ty stream .
I om not u n m in d fu l th a t som e o f you h ove com e here out o f
g re a t tria ls a n d trib u la tio n s Some o f you h ove com e fresh from
n a rro w ta il cells Som e o f you h a v e com e fro m areas w h e re your
quest fo r fre e d o m le ft you b a tte re d by the storm s o f persecution
ond sta gg ere d by th e w in d s o f p o lic e b ru ta lity You hove b ee n the
veterans o f c re a tiv e s u ffe rin g . C o n tin u e to w o rk w ith the fa ith
that u n e a rn e d s u ffe rin g is re d e m p tiv e
G o back to M ississippi, go back to A la b a m a , go back to South
C orolm a, go back to G e o rg ia , go back to Louisiana, go back to the
slum s a n d g hettos o f our n o rth e rn cities, k n o w in g th a t so m ehow
this s itu a tio n con a n d w ill be c h a n g e d Let us not w a llo w in the
v a lle y o f despair.
I say to you to d a y, m y frie n d s , so e v e n th o u g h w e fa ce the
d iffic u ltie s o f to d a y a nd to m o rro w , I s till have a d re am . It is a
dream d e e p ly ro o te d in the A m e ric a n d re am .
I have a d re am th a t one d a y th is n a tio n w ill rise up a n d liv e out
the tru e m e a n in g o f its creed: "W e h o ld these truths to be
s e lf-e v id e n t; th a t a ll m en a re c re a te d e q u a l."
I have a a re am th a t one d a y on the red h ills o f G e o rg ia the sons
o f fo rm e r slaves a nd the sons o f fo rm e r sla ve o w n e rs w ill be a b le
to sit d o w n to g e th e r at the ta b le o f b ro th e rh o o d ; I have a d re om —
That one d a y e v e n the state o f M ississippi, a state s w e lte rin g
w ith the h ea t o f in ju stice , s w e lte rin g w ith th e h ea t o f o ppression,
t
w ill be tra n s fo rm e d in to on oasis o f fre e d o m a n d justice I h ave a
d re a m —
That m y fo u r little c h ild re n w ill o n e d a y liv e in a n a tio n w h e re
they w ill n ot be ju d g e d by the c o lo r o f th e ir skin b ut the co n te n t o f
th e ir c h a ra c te r: I h o v e a d re a m to d a y
I h ave a d re a m th a t o ne d a y , liv e in a n a tio n w h e re th ey w ill
not be fu d g e d by th e co lo r o f th e ir skm b ut th e co n te n t o f th e ir
ch aracte r: I h ave a d re a m to da y.
I h ave a d re a m th a t o n e d ay, d o w n in A la b a m a , w ith its vicious
racists, w ith its g o v e rn o r h a v in g his lips d rip p in g w ith th e w ords o f
in te rp o s itio n a n d n u llific a tio n , o n e d a y rig h t th e re in A la b a m a
little Block boys a n d Black g irls w ill be a b le to |Oin hands w ith
little w h ite boys o n d w h ite g irls as sisters a n d bro the rs I have a
dre am to d a y —
I h a v e a d re a m th a t o n e d a y e v e ry v o lle y sh all be e x a lte d ,
e very h ill o n d m o u n ta in sh all be m o d e lo w , th e ro u g h places w ill
be m a d e p lo n e a n d c ro o k e d p loces w ill be m o d e straig ht, a n d the
g lo ry o f th e Lord s h a ll be re v e a le d , a n d a ll flesh shall see it
to ge th er.
This is o u r h o p e This is th e fa ith th a t I go bock to the South
w ith . W ith this fa ith w e w ill be a b le to h e w o u t o f the m o u n ta in
o f d e s p a ir a stone o f h o p e W ith this fa ith w e w ill be a b le to
tra n sfo rm the ja n g lin g discords o f o u r n o tio n info a b e o u tifu l
sym p h o n y o f b ro th e rh o o d W ith th is fa ith w e w ill be o b le to w ork
to g e th e r, to p ra y to g e th e r, to stru g g le to g e th e r, to go to jo il
to g e th e r, to stand up fo r fre e d o m to g e th e r, k n o w in g th a t w e w ill
be fre e o n e d ay
This w ill be th e day...T his w ill be the day w h e n a ll o f G od's
c h ild re n w ill be a b le to sing w ith n e w m e a n in g " M y co u n try 'tis o f
thee, s w e e t la n d o f lib e rty , o f th e e I sing. Land w h e re m y fathers
d ie d , la n d o f the p ilg rim 's p rid e , fro m e v e ry m o u n ta in s id e , let
fre e d o m r in g , " a n d if A m e ric a is to be a g re a t n a tio n — this m ust
b e co m e true
So le t fre e d o m rin g — fro m the p ro d ig io u s h illto p s o f N ew
H am p sh ire , le t fre e d o m rin g : fro m the m ig h ty m o u n ta in s o f N ew
York le t fre e d o m rin g -- fro m th e h e ig h te n in g A lle g h e n ie s o f
P e n n sylva n ia !
Let fre e d o m rin g fro m the s n o w c a p p e d Rockies o f C o lo ra d o !
Let fre e d o m rin g fro m the curva ceo us slopes o f C a lifo rn ia !
But n ot o n ly th a t: let fre e d o m rin g fro m Stone M o u n ta in o f
G e o rg ia !
Let fre e d o m rin g fro m Lookout M o u n ta in o f Tennessee!
Let fre e d o m rin g fro m e v e ry h ill a nd m o le h ill o f M ississippi
From e v e ry m o u n ta in s id e , le t fre e d o m rin g , a n d w h e n this
happens.
W hen w e a llo w fre e d o m rin g , w h e n w e le t it rin g fro m e v e ry
v illa g e a n d e v e ry h a m le t, fro m e v e ry state o n d e v e ry city, w e w ill
be a b le to speed up th a t d ay w h e n a ll o f G o d 's c h ild re n , Black
m en a n d w h ite m en , Jews a n d G e n tile s , Protestants a nd
C atholics, w ill be a b le to jo in hands a n d sing m the w ords o f the
o ld N e g ro s p iritu a l, "F re e a t last! fre e a t last! th a n k G od a lm ig h ty ,
w e a re fre e a t lo s t!"
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