fivescoreyearsago,agreatamerican,inwhosesymbolicshadowwestandsignedtheemancipationproclamation.thismomentousdecreecameasagreatbeaconlightofhopetomillionsofnegroslaveswhohadbeensearedintheflamesofwitheringinjustice.itcameasajoyousdaybreaktoendthelongnightofcaptivity.
butonehundredyearslater,wemustfacethetragicfactthatthenegroisstillnotfree.onehundredyearslater,thelifeofthenegroisstillsadlycrippledbythemanaclesofsegregationandthechainsofdiscrimination.onehundredyearslater,thenegrolivesonalonelyislandofpovertyinthemidstofavastoceanofmaterialprosperity.onehundredyearslater,thenegroisstilllanguishinginthecornersofamericansocietyandfindshimselfanexileinhisownland.sowehavecomeheretodaytodramatizeanappallingcondition.
inasensewehavecometoournation'scapitaltocashacheck.whenthearchitectsofourrepublicwrotethemagnificentwordsoftheconstitutionandthedeclarationofindependence,theyweresigningapromissorynotetowhicheveryamericanwastofallheir.thisnotewasapromisethatallmenwouldbeguaranteedtheinalienablerightsoflife,liberty,andthepursuitofhappiness.
itisobvioustodaythatamericahasdefaultedonthispromissorynoteinsofarashercitizensofcolorareconcerned.insteadofhonoringthissacredobligation,americahasgiventhenegropeopleabadcheckwhichhascomebackmarked"insufficientfunds."butwerefusetobelievethatthebankofjusticeisbankrupt.werefusetobelievethatthereareinsufficientfundsinthegreatvaultsofopportunityofthisnation.
sowehavecometocashthischeck--acheckthatwillgiveusupondemandtherichesoffreedomandthesecurityofjustice.
wehavealsocometothishallowedspottoremindamericaofthefierceurgencyofnow.thisisnotimetoengageintheluxuryofcoolingoffortotakethetranquilizingdrugofgradualism.nowisthetimetorisefromthedarkanddesolatevalleyofsegregationtothesunlitpathofracialjustice.nowisthetimetoopenthedoorsofopportunitytoallofgod'schildren.nowisthetimetoliftournationfromthequicksandsofracialinjusticetothesolidrockofbrotherhood.
itwouldbefatalforthenationtooverlooktheurgencyofthemomentandtounderestimatethedeterminationofthenegro.thisswelteringsummerofthenegro'slegitimatediscontentwillnotpassuntilthereisaninvigoratingautumnoffreedomandequality.nineteensixty-threeisnotanend,butabeginning.
thosewhohopethatthenegroneededtoblowoffsteamandwillnowbecontentwillhavearudeawakeningifthenationreturnstobusinessasusual.therewillbeneitherrestnortranquilityinamericauntilthenegroisgrantedhiscitizenshiprights.thewhirlwindsofrevoltwillcontinuetoshakethefoundationsofournationuntilthebrightdayofjusticeemerges.
butthereissomethingthatimustsaytomypeoplewhostandonthewarmthresholdwhichleadsintothepalaceofjustice.intheprocessofgainingourrightfulplacewemustnotbeguiltyofwrongfuldeeds.letusnotseektosatisfyourthirstforfreedombydrinkingfromthecupofbitternessandhatred.
wemustforeverconductourstruggleonthehighplaneofdignityanddiscipline.wemustnotallowourcreativeprotesttodegenerateintophysicalviolence.againandagainwemustrisetothemajesticheightsofmeetingphysicalforcewithsoulforce.
themarvelousnewmilitancywhichhasengulfedthenegrocommunitymustnotleadustodistrustofallwhitepeople,formanyofourwhitebrothers,asevidencedbytheirpresenceheretoday,havecometorealizethattheirdestinyistiedupwithourdestinyandtheirfreedomisinextricablyboundtoourfreedom.
wecannotwalkalone.andaswewalk,wemustmakethepledgethatweshallmarchahead.wecannotturnback.therearethosewhoareaskingthedevoteesofcivilrights,"whenwillyoubesatisfied?"wecanneverbesatisfiedaslongasourbodies,heavywiththefatigueoftravel,cannotgainlodginginthemotelsofthehighwaysandthehotelsofthecities.wecannotbesatisfiedaslongasthenegro'sbasicmobilityisfromasmallerghettotoalargerone.wecanneverbesatisfiedaslongasanegroinmississippicannotvoteandanegroinnewyorkbelieveshehasnothingforwhichtovote.no,no,wearenotsatisfied,andwewillnotbesatisfieduntiljusticerollsdownlikewatersandrighteousnesslikeamightystream.