I have the pleasure to present to you I have the pleasure to present to you Dr. Martin Luther King, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Jr. I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as 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. the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation. Five score years ago, Five score years ago, a great American in whose symbolic shadow we stand today signed the Emancipation Proclamation.
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. 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 daybreak. It came as a joyous daybreak. To end the long night of their captivity. To end the long night of their captivity. But 100 years later, But 100 years later, the Negro still is not free.
the Negro still is not free. 100 years later. 100 years later. The life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. The life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination.
One hundred years later, One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty. the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up again.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up again. Live out the true meaning of its creed. Live out the true meaning of its creed.
We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal. We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal. I have a dream that one day on the... 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.
The sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. 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, I have a dream that one day... A state sweltering with the heat of injustice, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.
will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream. I have a dream. My four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, We'll 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.
but by the content of their character. I have a dream that one day down in Alabama... I have a dream today. Down in Alabama with its vicious racists, It's racist with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification.
with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification. One day right now in Alabama, 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 as sisters and brothers. little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers. I have a dream today. I have a dream today.
...be exalted. ...be exalted. And every hill and mountain shall be made low, Every hill and mountain shall be made low. the rough places will be made plain, The rough places will be made plain.
And the crooked places will be made straight. and the crooked places will be made straight. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, And all flesh shall see it together.
and all flesh shall see it together. This is our hope. This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to. With this faith, With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope.
we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood.
With this faith, With this faith, we will be able to work together, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to pray together, to struggle together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day. knowing that we will be able to All of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning, God's children, be able to sing with new meaning, My country, My country, tears of thee. tears of thee. Sweet land of liberty, Sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. of thee I sing.
Land where my fathers died, Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrims'pride. land of the pilgrims'pride. From every mountainside, From every mountainside, let freedom ring.
let freedom ring. And if America is to be a great nation, And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true. this must become true.
And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. And so let freedom ring. From the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire, Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.
Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania.
Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado. Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado. Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California. Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.
But not only that, But not only that, let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia. let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia. Let freedom ring from Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.
Lookout Mountain of Tennessee. Let freedom ring from every hill and mole hill of Mississippi. Let freedom ring from every hill and mole hill of Mississippi, from every mountainside. Let freedom ring in Wheeling, California.
...the religion of a hamlet from every state and every city. We will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, We will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, free at last, Free at last, free at last, free at last. thank God Almighty, we are free at last.