Delivered by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on August 28, 1963, from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The full text remains under copyright held by the King Estate, so this page provides historical context and a link to authorized sources rather than the complete transcript.
Context
Speaking to more than 250,000 demonstrators, King invoked the promises of the Declaration of Independence and the Emancipation Proclamation, issued a century earlier, and indicted the nation for failing to honor them for Black Americans. He called for racial justice, an end to segregation, and a future in which his children would “not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” The address built to its now-iconic refrain, “I have a dream,” envisioning an America that lived out the true meaning of its creed: “that all men are created equal.”Significance
The speech is widely considered a defining moment of the civil rights movement and helped build momentum for the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. It is regarded as one of the greatest pieces of American oratory.Civil Rights Act of 1964
The landmark law banning discrimination in employment and public accommodations.
Voting Rights Act of 1965
Federal protection of the right to vote.