Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends And so even though we face the dif f iculties 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 mean ing of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal I have a dream that one day on the red hills of georgia the sons of former slave and the sons of former slave owners will be a ble to sit down together at the ta ble 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 justice 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. 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 drip ping with the words of interposition"and"nu llif ication one day right there in alabama little black boys and black gir ls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers I have a dream today I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mounta in 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 and all flesh shall see it together. 2 This is our hope, and 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 With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautif ul symphony of brotherhood. 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 And this w ill be the day - this will be the day when all of gods children will be able to sing with new meaning My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee ILet us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my f riends. And so even though we face the dif ficulties 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 equal." 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. 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 f reedom and justice. 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. 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 today! I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and 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 and all flesh shall see it together."² This is our hope, and 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. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. 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 f reedom together, knowing that we will be f ree one day. And this will be the day -- this will be the day when 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