I Have a Dream, Martin Luther King Jr.

                                                            I Have a Dream

Summary

          ‘I Have a Dream’ is a historical speech delivered by Martin Luther King Junior who is renowned all over the world for his policy of passive resistance and oratorical skills. A campaign of Martin Luther King against color and racial discrimination began in 1950s and reached its historic climax in 1963. Leading a mass of 200 thousand people, both blacks and whites from Washington monument to Lincoln’s memorial. He delivered this memorable speech on 28 August 1963.

        King begins his speech paying tribute to Abraham Lincoln, who signed Emancipation Proclamation one hundred years ago. This historical document had brought a light of hope among the Negro slaves ending a long night of captivity. They had hoped that they would be free and that they would not be discriminated any more. But one hundred years after the document had been signed the Negros were still not free. They were crippled by the chains of discrimination and manacles of segregation. They were still compelled to live a poor life among rich white Americans. They were still compelled to live as outsider in their own country. So, king says that they have gathered at the capital of the nation to cash a cheque. When the leaders of USA wrote the words of constitution, they were singing a promissory note. But instead of granting the Negros the rights promised by the constitution, the government of USA has given them a bad cheque. He is not ready to believe that the bank of USA is a bankrupt. So, he urges the government to fulfill the demands of the Negros without any delay. Failing to fulfill their demands would be fatal for the nation. There will be neither peace nor rest in the nation until their rights are granted.

              King reminds his people that they should not carry out any violent activities in the course of the protest. He wants to conduct the struggle in a disciplined and dignified way combining their physical force with spiritual one. He also asked his people not to distrust all the white people because some of the whites have been helping the Negros to get equal rights. They cannot move alone as their destiny has been tied with that of the whites.

         Answering a question when the Negros will be satisfied, he says that they will not be satisfied as long as the police continues brutality against them, they are deprived of getting rest in the hotels of the cities and motels of the highways, are deprived of their voting rights, equality, justice and freedom.  With the hope that their situation will eb changed one day, he asks people to go back to their respective places and work for change.

       In spite of the difficulties and frustration of the moment, he has a dream that is deeply rooted in American dream. He has a dream that the nation will be able to live according to the creed that all men are created equal. He has a dream that the sons of farmer, slaves and those of their masters will be able to sit together at the table of brotherhood. He has a dream that his four children will be judged not in term of the color of their skin but in term of the content of their character. He has a dream that the black boys and girls will be able to walk together with white boys and girls as brothers and sisters. He has dream that everyone will get freedom, justice and equality. He is going to have his dreams fulfilled organizing peaceful mass demonstration and passive resistance.

   If Americans to become a great and free nation, every part of the nation and the people living there should be free. Only then the people living there should be free. Only then the people of different colors, races and religions will be able to join hands and move ahead together singing the song freedom.

Some of thee dreams made by Jr. martin Luther King in his speech “I Have a Dream”

1.     He had dream that one day his nation will rise up and live out with the true meaning of its creed holding the equality of all people living in US

2.     He had a dream that one day the hills of Georgia, the sons of farmer, slaves
(blacks) and the sons of farmer slave owners( whites) will be able to sit together at the table of brotherhood.

3.     He had a dream that any children of any color will not be judged on the basis of their color of skin but by their content or the caliber.

4.     He had a dream that every individual will get equal voting rights including their citizenship rights equally in every states.

5.      He had a dream that none of the Americans will be judged just by staying in the Ghettos or Skyscrapers.

6.      He had a dream that any state of US will be beyond injustice and oppression but will be transformed into an Oasis of Freedom and justice.

7.      He had a dream that all above situations will be favorable and realistic where little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and work together as sister and brothers.

    A.  What is the apparent (exact) purpose of the speech of Martin Luther king Jr.? Explain Kings analogy of bad check (cheque).

       The apparent purpose of the king’s speech is to get the black people their rights of freedom, equality and justice avoiding racial injustice based on color of skin. Although the constitution of America promises equal rights to its entire citizen, the black people have been deprived from enjoying the rights and get the victim of social segregation and discrimination. Therefore, Martin Luther King Jr. delivers this speech demanding justice for the black people.

   King makes an analogy (comparison) between promises of American constitution and a bad cheque. Though the constitution of America promises equal rights to the entire citizen irrespective of color and creed, America has failed to pay her back citizen the rights promised in the constitution. They are given bad cheque i.e false promises by architects of American constitution. If there is insufficient amount in the bank account, the cheque of higher amount issued against this account is not en cashed and returned unpaid such cheque is consider as a bad cheque. Similar way although the constitution of America guarantees the equality for all the black citizens are turned down from getting justice in America. Therefore, King compares the promises made by the American constitution wit a bad cheque.