The opening line from the movie, “Pretty Woman,” is “What’s your dream? Everybody’s got a dream. What’s yours?”
And that’s true, everyone does have dreams. Some people dream of being rich, others of being famous. But one man had a dream far more important than being rich or famous. He dreamed of being equal. In honor of Black History Month, we have reprinted part of Martin Luther King, Jr’s, “I Have A Dream Speech.”
“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 down 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, 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.”
Martin Luther King, Jr., gave this speech on August 28, 1963, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. More than 200,000 people—black and white, heard him speak. It has been called one of the most powerful literary works of the 20th century.
We all need to dare to dream, just like he did.
