Ernest Ventura

Professor Freedman

English 101

30 June 2004

I Have a Dream summary

Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream”, commemorating Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation has turned out to be truly remarkably speech. The sole objective of his speech was a call for freedom. He started by pointing out that the proclamation didn’t create significant impact freeing the workers one hundred years after it was signed. He opened the issues of discrimination and elaborated the unfair ministration to the Negro all throughout. King stated 1963 to be the time to lift America from the quick sands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. His dream can be summed up to this: “I have a dream that one day, this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of creed: we hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal”* Freedom, democracy, justice and equality were the author’s battle cry. The minister concluded his life-changing speech with a strong optimistic note. “Free at last! Free at last! Thank God almighty, we are free at last!”**

The speech is very powerful. It created a turning point in America’s history. This is the

First time I’ve read this masterpiece and the first thing came to my mind is how the message relates to The Preamble of the Philippine constitution:

“We, the sovereign Filipino people

Imploring the aid of almighty God

In order to build a just and humane society

And to establish a government

That shall embody our ideas and aspirations

Promote common good and secure to ourselves

And our prosterities the blessings of independence

And democracy under the rule of law

And regime of truth, justice, freedom

Love, equality and peace.

Do ordain and promulgate this constitution.”

Let freedom ring! God Bless America

*Martin Luther King, Jr., I Have a Dream

** Martin Luther King, Jr., I Have a Dream