Chapter – 11

I have a dream

Martin Luther King, Jr

Summary of the speech

The essay “I have a dream” is a speech delivered by the famous black leader and civil rights activist Martin Luther King, Jr. the speech is delivered in Washington D.C. on August 28, 1963, in front of the large crowd.

One hundred years ago, President Lincoln declared that the slaves in the USA would be free but the black people in America are still not free. They are not allowed to go to the same places where white people go and they are still very poor. The constitution of the USA promises that all men have the right to life, liberty (freedom) and the pursuit of happiness. But unfortunately, the written constitution remained only as a promise. The black people situation is quite miserable even after 100 years. They are not treated equally.

In many states in the southern part of the USA, black children are not allowed to go to the same schools or hostels that are used by white children. They are not permitted into hostels, restaurants, and buses that white people used. They had the worst jobs and the worst education. Many white people treated blacks very badly. This was called segregation and it is still in the practice till the time of Martin Luther King, Jr.

He says that the Negros should be treated in the same way as whites. They should have an equal opportunity to get a quality education, good jobs to make money as white people. Most of the Negros are poor because they are deprived of better opportunities in their own nation. They have been completely marginalized from their own country and have not got anything in the name of rights and freedom.

They live in very bad quality houses called ghettos, where white people don’t live. Therefore, the king represented here from all the black people and demanded America to fulfill its promise.  America will not operate normally until these demands are met. It is important to ask for their rights without using violence. It is also important to ask for their rights without using violence. It is also important not to disturb all the white people because there are some whites, who support the Negros and are helping them to get equal rights. King, in his speech, said that the police must stop beating the Negros. They must be able to stay in every hotel in the country. They must be able to improve their position in society to be able to improve their position in society to be able to vote and have Negros to vote for. He requested all the black American to go back to their home and work for change.

King further said that he had a dream that one day all the people would be treated equally. The whites and blacks will sit down together like two brothers and everyone will be free. He had a dream that their children will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their characters. Finally, he said that if America wanted to be a great country all the people in different places must be free. All people of all colors and all religions must join hands and sing together the song of freedom.