On Aug. 28, 1963, American civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his historic “I Have a Dream” during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Over 250,000 people gathered at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. This public speech is a call for equality and freedom. And it became one of the defining moments of the civil rights movement. “I Have a Dream” is one of the most iconic speeches in the history of America. In honor of that significant moment, QuotesGeeks present the best 20 Martin Luther King Jr Quotes I Have A Dream speech.
20 Martin Luther King Jr Quotes from “I Have A Dream”
01.
“We cannot walk alone. As we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back.”
― Martin Luther King Jr.
02.
“The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.”
― Martin Luther King Jr.
03.
“We refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt.“
― Martin Luther King Jr.
04.
“We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation.“
― Martin Luther King Jr.
05.
“Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood.“
― Martin Luther King Jr.
06.
“Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God’s children.“
― Martin Luther King Jr.
07.
“I have a dream today.“
― Martin Luther King Jr.
08.
“I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.“
― Martin Luther King Jr.
09.
“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.“
― Martin Luther King Jr.
10.
“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.“
— Martin Luther King Jr.
11.
“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.“
— Martin Luther King Jr.
12.
“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.“
― Martin Luther King Jr.
13.
“This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope.“
― Martin Luther King Jr.
14.
“With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood.“
― Martin Luther King Jr.
15.
“We will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.“
― Martin Luther King Jr.
16.
“In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.“
― Martin Luther King Jr.
17.
“We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. 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.“
― Martin Luther King Jr.
18.
“With this faith, 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.“
― Martin Luther King Jr.
19.
“From every mountainside, let freedom ring.“
― Martin Luther King Jr.
20.
“Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!“
― Martin Luther King Jr.
7 interesting facts about the “I Have A Dream” speech:
- Didn’t include any female speakers in the event.
- Of the estimated 250,000 people, there were about 60,000 were white.
- Bayard Rustin, the organizer of the event was an openly gay man.
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr speech impressed the Kennedy administration.
- ‘I Have a Dream’ beat John F. Kennedy’s ‘Ask not what you can do’ speech!
- March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom was not universally supported by activists.
- Walter Reuther was the most prominent speaker of the event who was introduced as white Martin Luther King.
FAQs related to Martin Luther King Jr Quotes I have a dream:
#1. What are the main ideas of I Have A Dream?
Ans: The main ideas of the “I Have a Dream” speech includes:
• Freedom for Black Americans.
• Peaceful protest.
• Hope for the future.
#2. Who first said I have a dream?
Ans: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
#3. Who wrote Martin Luther King’s speeches?
Ans: Clarence Benjamin Jones (Close friend of Martin Luther King Jr.) wrote Martin Luther King’s speech.
#4. Who organized the March on Washington in 1963?
Ans: Bayard Rustin (An African American leader)
#5. When is Martin Luther King, Jr., Day?
Ans: In the United States, Martin Luther King, Jr., Day (MLK Day) is celebrated on the third Monday in January.
What do you think after reading Martin Luther King Jr Quotes I have a dream?
