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 I have a dream
that one day on the Red Hills of Georgia
sons of former slaves and the sons of
former slave owners will be 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 just as I have a dream
my four little children will one day
live in a nation where they will not be
judged by the color of our 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 to
be
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 at all flesh
shall see it together this is our hope
this is a feat that I go back to the
south will with this faith we will be
able to hew out of the mountain of
despair a stone of hope with this faith
we will be able to transform the
jangling discords of our nation into a
beautiful symphony of brotherhood with
this thing we will be able to work
together to pray together to struggle
together to go to jail together to stand
up for freedom together knowing that we
will be free one day this will be the
day this will be the day with all of
God's children will be able to sing with
new meaning my country tis of thee sweet
land of liberty of thee I sing land
where my fathers died land of the
pilgrims pride from every mountainside
let freedom ring and of America's to be
a great nation this must become true and
so let freedom ring from the prodigious
hilltops of New Hampshire let freedom
ring from the mighty mountains of New
York let freedom ring from the
heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania
let freedom ring from the snow-capped
Rockies of Colorado let freedom ring
from the curvaceous slopes of California
but not only that let freedom ring from
Stone Mountain of Georgia
let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain
of Tennessee let freedom ring from every
Hill and molehill of Mississippi from
every mountainside let freedom ring and
when this happens when we allow freedom
ring when we let it ring from every
village and every Hamlet from every
state and every city we will be able to
speed up that day when all of God's
children black men and white men Jews
and Gentiles Protestants and Catholics
will be able to join hands and sing in
the words of the old Negro spiritual
free at last free at last thank God
Almighty real friend
you