I Have a Dream

Imagine a hot summer day in a big city called Washington, D.C. I was just a quiet thought, a collection of words waiting to be spoken. All around me, I could feel the excitement from a huge crowd. So many people. Their faces were full of hope as they looked forward, standing near a long, sparkling pool of water that looked like a shiny mirror reflecting the blue sky. Behind the speaker's stand was a magnificent building holding a giant statue of a past president, Abraham Lincoln. He sat thoughtfully in his big stone chair, as if he were listening, too. Then, a man with a kind face and a powerful voice stepped up to speak. His name was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and he was about to give me life. I am the words of a dream, a speech called "I Have a Dream."

Dr. King was a very important leader who believed that everyone, no matter the color of their skin, should be treated with kindness and fairness. That is why so many people—more than you can count—traveled to listen on that special day, August 28th, 1963. They wanted to show the whole world that it was time for things to change and for America to be a fair and just place for all its people. As Dr. King began to speak, I came alive. My words flew out over the giant crowd, carried by his strong, caring voice. At first, he was reading from a paper, but then he put the paper aside. I wasn't written down; I came straight from his heart. I painted a picture of a beautiful future for everyone to see in their minds. I am the dream of little children of all skin colors holding hands and playing together as friends. I am the hope that one day, people would not be judged by how they look on the outside, but by their character—which means how kind and good they are on the inside. I am the sound of freedom ringing from every mountain and every hill in the country, for every single person. As people heard me, a great cheer rose from the crowd. They clapped, they cried happy tears, and they shouted with joy. My words filled them with hope for a better, brighter world.

The day ended, but my journey was just beginning. I traveled far beyond that big crowd in Washington, D.C. People heard me on their radios and watched me on their televisions all across the country and even around the world. My words helped people understand that it was very important to make the world a fairer place. I inspired them to work together for change. Because so many people believed in the dream I described, new rules, called laws, were made. One very important one was the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which was created to make sure everyone had the same rights. Even today, I am still here. I live in books and in classrooms, and most importantly, in people's hearts. I remind everyone that a powerful dream of a better world, when it’s shared with others, can help us all be brave, hopeful, and kind to one another.