“I Have a dream” By Carmen Janette Sosa

“I Have a dream”

 

The past August 28th the United States celebrated the 50th anniversary of the historic speech by Martin Luther King "I Have a Dream" about racial equality and opportunity.

On August 28th, 1963, Martin Luther King delivered his emblematic speech: "I ​​Have a Dream" in Washington D.C., in front of the statue of Abraham Lincoln. This event became an important fact in the history of civil rights in America.

Thousands of people from around the country, came together to march for equal rights and employment. The event happened as the country was looking to end discrimination laws against the African-American people.

Martin Luther King is a legend in the world of social class struggles. He is considered that delivered one of the most famous speeches of the twentieth century, inviting for peace and equality between humans without consideration of their colour.

Some excerpts of his speech are:

 "I have a dream ... that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed; hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal ...".  This is the phrase that echoes in the half-century memory of being pronounced.

 "I dream that my four children will live one day in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character" "I dream of a day when there in Alabama black boys and black girls can join hands with white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers. "

50th Anniversary

Days before the celebration of the 50th anniversary of this great event, there were different activities such as marches, debates, concerts and exhibitions in the city, under the slogan: Remember! Celebrates! Act! The idea is to "keep the dream alive."

This year in the same day and the same place, at the monument to Abraham Lincoln, in Washington DC, there was a ceremony celebrating 50 years about racial equality and opportunity. This celebration was attended by thousands of people who participated in the meeting which lasted five hours, under a gray sky and intermittent rain.

As part of the celebration ceremony, former presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton; the children of the Reverend King, Martin Luther King III, Bernice King, and sister Christine King Farris; and the president of the United States, Barack Obama, gave their speeches.

The most expected speech was the one of the first black president in U.S. history.  It generated expectations since many consider that racism and inequality are still latent problems in the United States.

President Obama said that Martin Luther King "gave a powerful voice to the hopes of millions of people" in their struggle for equal rights. Which generated major changes in the history of the United States such as: Civil law, Voting rights law. Also the president said that the white house changed. That change was when he became the first African-American president of the nation in 2008.

Obama also admitted: "Because they left, the United States became freer and just, not only for women but for African Americans and Latinos; for Asians and Indians; for Catholics, Jews and Muslims; for gays and for Americans with disabilities."

Currently this historical event is seen by the people as a way of life and not only as a simple idea.