A Timeless Letter of Comfort

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 distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, Louis Vuittonas evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny and their freedom is inextricably bound to our free dom. we cannot walk alone. and as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall march ahead. we cannot turn back. there are those who are asking thed evotees of civil rights, "when will you be satisfied?"

we can never buy wow accountsbe 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 then egro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. we can never be satisfied as long as a negro in miss is sip pi cannot vote and a negro in new y o rk believes he has nothing for which to vote.

no, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not bes at is fied until justice rolls downbuy wow accounts like waters and right eous ness like a mighty stre am .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 w cells. some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality.you have been theve terans of creative suffering. continue to workbuy aion kinah with the fai ththat unearned suffering is red emp tive .go back to miss is sippi, go back to alab ama, go back to georgia,go back to louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of ourno rthern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can andwill be changed.

let us not wallow in the valley of despair.i say to you today, my friends, that in spite of thedifficulties and frustrations of the moment, i still have adream. it is a dream deeply rooted in the american dream.i have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and liveout the true meaning of its creed: "we hold these truths to beself-evident: that all men are created equal."i have a dream that one day on the red hills of georgia the sonsof former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be ableto sit down together at a table of brother hood.i have a dream that one day even the state of miss is sip pi, adesert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppress sion, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and just ice.i have a dream that my four children will one day live inShower Enclosures anation where they will not be judged by the color of their skinbut by the content of their character.i have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day the state of ala bama, who sego vernor's lips are presently dripping with the words of inter position and nullification, will be transformed into where little black boys and black girls will be a bleto join hands with little white boys and white girls and walkto gether 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 bem ade plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the lord shall be revealed. pql

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