All my academic life I taught finance courses or what we often call “bean counting” courses, difficult to relate to lofty ideals. But when I would first meet each new class, I strove to find some inspirational words to link their effort and lives to the bigger world as a way to motivate them to do their best. In one such opening class, as I was trying to find this bigger theme, I told them to be dreamers and to dream big no matter how challenging the dream appeared to be. And then without much thought I told them “think what a collection of bold and challenging dreams were those that Martin Luther King proclaimed that summer day on August 28, 1963.” It is a whole different experience to listen the “I Have A Dream” delivered with King’s thunderous and commanding voice, but reading the words delivers the same powerful message. Here is that section of the speech:
… 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, 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.
Much progress has been made in matters of race but more remains to be done. On this Martin Luther King day, let’s not only remember his words; let’s contribute to making his dream reality.
Let's Reason 
Thank you, George. This is inspiring – I had never before actually read the full text of Rev. Dr. King’s historic speech. We lost more than we realized when he was taken from us……I highly recommend Carol Anderson’s recent book, “One Person No Vote,” a meticulously-researched account of systematic voter suppression and social injustice, and not exclusively in the Deep South. She is Chair of the Black Studies Dept @Emory University.
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Great post.
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Indeed George Dr. King’s speech “I Have a Dream” has been an inspiration to many of us, as well as a very powerful speech. I have assigned the speech to my public speaking students at Deree.
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