posted on January 15, 2001 01:56:25 PM new
Martin Luther King at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom (August 28, 1963)
"I Have a Dream"
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.
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. It came as a
joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.
But 100 years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years
later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of
segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the
Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of
material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished
in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own
land. 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. When
the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the
Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a
promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. 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.
It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note
insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this
sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a
check that has come back marked "insufficient funds."
But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We
refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of
opportunity of this nation. And so we've come to cash this check, a check
that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and security of justice.
We have also come to his 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. 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 racial justice. Now is the
time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid
rock of brotherhood. 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.
This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass
until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen
sixty-three is not an end but a beginning. Those who hoped 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. There will be neither
rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship
rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of
our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.
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. Let us
not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of
bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high
plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to
degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the
majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. 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 they have come to realize that their freedom is
inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone.
And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always
march ahead. We cannot turn back. There are those who are 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 horrors of
police brutality. 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. We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro's
basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be
satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their selfhood and robbed
of their dignity by signs stating "for whites only." We cannot be satisfied as
long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot 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 justice rolls down like waters and
righteousness like a mighty stream.
I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great
trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells.
Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you
battered by storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police
brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to
work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive.
Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South
Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums
and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can
and will be changed.
Let us not wallow in the valley of despair. I say to you today my
friends - so even though we face the difficulties of today 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 and live out the
true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all
men are created equal."
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.
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.
I have a dream that my four little children will 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 today.
I have a dream that one day down in Alabama, with its vicious racists,
with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition
and nullification - one day right there 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.
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 is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with.
With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a
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 will
be able to sing with new meaning "My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of
liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my father's died, land of the Pilgrim's
pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring!"
And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true. 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 heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania.
Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado. Let
freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.
But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.
Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.
Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi - from
every mountainside.
Let freedom ring. And when this happens, and 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! Free at last! Thank God Almighty,
we are free at last!"
---
Distribution statement: Accepted as part of the Douglass Archives of American Public Address (http://douglass.speech.nwu.edu) on May 26, 1999. Prepared by D. Oetting (http://nonce.com/oetting).
Permission is hereby granted to download, reprint, and/or otherwise redistribute this file, provided this distribution statement is included.
[ edited by krs on Jan 15, 2001 08:31 PM ]
posted on January 15, 2001 02:28:12 PM new
What a Wondrous World! That the mantle of Moral Leadership of the World in the late 20th century fell on the shoulders of two Black Men, Dr. King and Nelson Mandela, and an East Indian, Ghandi. Living a half a World apart, suffering at the hands of others, they overcame all the obstacles the world placed in their path and rose to inspire!
[ edited by snowyegret on Jan 15, 2001 02:42 PM ]
posted on January 15, 2001 02:34:45 PM new
I've always been impressed with the man, and with the speech, but I don't think that I ever realized the full power of those words until I saw that they kept Diana to a single line!
posted on January 15, 2001 03:57:38 PM new
Hi Jada,
No, I wasn't aware of that, but I can't see how they could claim to have the ability to restrict a speech, given in public, widely aired, and repeated innumerable times prior to this. Too, does a copyright extend past the demise of an author? Stockticker could say.
I obtained it with a simple search, and there were several different sites which contained it.
posted on January 15, 2001 04:08:06 PM new
I am wondering if it is not innapropriate to be discussing his family's alleged failings in this thread on his day.
posted on January 15, 2001 05:04:40 PM new
The most important point for me is the section about judging not by the color of their skin - but the content of their character.
At first glance most people seem to see in it, a call to look beyond color or race in general.
In fact, I think it is more than that - it is referencing his children and each of them as individuals. That we may each be judged on who we are - and not who our fathers are - That we ALL have value - and in the end political hate, and racial junk should be swept aside as useless and divisive.
***************************
In the Pulitzer Prize winning Novel "The Killer Angels" there is a scene about an old Irish sergent (Kilrain) talking to the Col. of the 20th Maine (Chamberlain). They were talking about blacks and their own perceptions. (And remember that the Irish were terribly discriminated against in this period themselves) (I do paraphrase a bit)
Chanberlain said, "Kilrain, tell me something. What do you think of Negros?"
Kilrain brooded
"Well, if you mean the race, well, I really don't know" He hunched his shoulders. "I have reservations, I will admit, as many a man does. But the thing is, you cannot judge a race - any man who judges by the group is a peawit. You take men - one at a time"
***********************
Democrats, Republicans, Black or white, I think the world would be a much happer place, that if we feel we MUST judge others, that we do it based on WHO they are, not WHAT they are. And that we can disagree in an intellegent manner, without resorting to smearing others.
Because surely if you smear others - the smell continues to linger on you as well.
posted on January 15, 2001 05:57:26 PM new
The speech is not copyrighted joice. It's in the public domain. You can do a search, or read any newspaper. It is always reprinted on this day, Dr. King's Birthday. As far as the family goes, I believe that Coretta is adamant that the speech not be "copyrighted", which at any rate would be difficult to do since it has long since passed over to public domain. A link is not needed since it's not copyrighted.
posted on January 15, 2001 06:35:44 PM new
Joice - I have no idea if the speech is actually copyrighted by the King family. I was merely relaying to Krs that controversy has often arisen over this issue several times in Martin Luther King Jr's hometown.
Numerous articles have appeared in Atlanta magazines, newspapers, on radio stations concerning this very issue over the past few years, particularly when the new historic site was being built.
posted on January 15, 2001 06:35:58 PM new
Copyright restrictions on the speech have been waived. The fact is explained on the following page below the text of the speech and on materials found on the page links:
posted on January 15, 2001 06:54:25 PM new
Antiquary,
Thanks for the link. If you look at the bottom of the page and click on the link to the "copy and paste" version you will see it can be reproduced with conditions laid out by Douglass.
The biggest problem is that I do not have the time to research to see if Douglass holds the copyright that would enable him to release it.
Everyone,
It really is up to the poster to get permission when copying an entire article/speech or to provide a link. Surely clicking on a link isn't so hard to do.
This thread will self distruct in 30 minutes if the speech is not edited.
I'm really sorry. It's in the CG's.
From the CG's:
AuctionWatch.com respects copyright law and expects our account holders to do the same. Unauthorized copying or distribution of copyrighted works is an infringement of the copyright holders' rights. At our discretion and in appropriate circumstances, AuctionWatch.com may terminate the accounts of users who infringe upon the copyright, or other intellectual property rights, of others.
posted on January 15, 2001 07:37:33 PM new
I would like to see this speech hung in every classroom rather than the Ten Commandments that Bush and gang want to plaster all over the schools.
posted on January 15, 2001 07:43:11 PM newIf you look at the bottom of the page and click on the link to the "copy and paste" version you will see it can be reproduced with conditions laid out by Douglass.
joice, the Douglass website does not
hold the copyright (no one does) to Dr.King's "I Have a Dream" speech. The link you refer to at the bottom of the Douglass page refers to material originating and generated by the Douglass website.It does not refer to Dr. King's speech, since Douglass owns no copyright on it.
No CG's are violated here because there is no copyright involved. Before you summarily decide that there is, perhaps should take the time to investigate it. There is nothing in the CG's prohibiting the posting of NON-copyrighted material. You seem to be in some sort of haste here. I wonder why.
KatyD
[ edited by KatyD on Jan 15, 2001 07:44 PM ]
Of course, I agree with Katy's position, but in all fairness to KRS, he is frequently offline for several hours this time of day. It only seems like he is here all of the time.
posted on January 15, 2001 07:58:01 PM new
Hello KatyD,
As the moderators are not trained in copyright law, and are not qualified to make any determinations as to whether or not an article/speech is copyrighted, in most cases where there is some doubt on our end we will ask a user who has posted such material to edit their post and provide a link rather than posting the entire text of an article or speech.
It's simply a matter of trying to uphold the CGs as best we can.
posted on January 15, 2001 08:11:24 PM new
well I suppose if it were some "obscure" speech or written opinion or editorial involved, I could see it. Most schoolchildren can recite parts or all of this speech from memory. Indeed, in my area, the schools TEACH the speech much as the Gettysburg address. It takes very little "investigation" to determine that posting Dr. King's words do not violate ANY copyright. But it does seem lately that some moderators seem to take some inordinate relish in requesting edits, deletion of posts, as well as summarily suspension of "some" members without due warning, depending upon whether they deem their posts "relevant" "disruptive" "productive" or "in violation of copyright". Of course this can be seen as very subjective depending upon the subject matter and the particular poster. I'm glad I'm not the only one who sees this. Whatever.
I would have thought that you would know, particularly after our fandango of really not so long ago, that in order for AW to know of a copyright complaint there would need to be a proven claim by the complainant who is also the holder of that right.
In any case, the version above is that provided through the link posted by Antiquary, and I do hope that using it will curtail this absurd display.
posted on January 15, 2001 08:41:31 PM new
Oh, dear God...I have a dream...that those wacky AW mods will do their job before they jump to faulty conclusions and knee jerk statements like, "This thread will self distruct in 30 minutes if the speech is not edited."
The speech is not copyrighted, as could be determined with the smallest click on the Douglass site link initially cited by the moderator. You had the skill to find the link...did you not have the ability to read the information contained there as well? I know better.
If the moderators "are not trained in copyright law, and are not qualified to make any determinations as to whether or not an article/speech is copyrighted" then they should either receive training, or cease and desist with such erroneous 'calls'. Hiding behind 'discretion' is a poor excuse for a job poorly done.
posted on January 15, 2001 08:58:32 PM new
Well, Beth, it may be that the original version of Dr. King's speech is a protected property, but the Douglas version appears to be their own and is released by them for various uses.
