edonthestepsattheLincolnMemorialinWashingtonD。C。onAugust28；1963。Source：MartinLutherKing；Jr：ThePeacefulWarrior；PocketBooks；NY1968

Fivescoreyearsago；agreatAmerican；inwhosesymbolicshadowwestandsignedtheEmancipationProclamation。ThismomentousdecreecameasagreatbeaconlightofhopetomillionsofNegroslaveswhohadbeensearedintheflamesofwitheringinjustice。Itcameasajoyousdaybreaktoendthelongnightofcaptivity。Butonehundredyearslater；wemustfacethetragicfactthattheNegroisstillnotfree。

Onehundredyearslater；thelifeoftheNegroisstillsadlycrippledbythemanaclesofsegregationandthechainsofdiscrimination。Onehundredyearslater；theNegrolivesonalonelyislandofpovertyinthemidstofavastoceanofmaterialprosperity。Onehundredyearslater；theNegroisstilllanguishinginthecornersofAmericansocietyandfindshimselfanexileinhisownland。

Sowehaveeheretodaytodramatizeanappallingcondition。Inasensewehaveetoournation&#39；scapitaltocashacheck。WhenthearchitectsofourrepublicwrotethemagnificentwordsoftheConstitutionandtheDeclarationofIndependence；theyweresigningapromissorynotetowhicheveryAmericanwastofallheir。

Thisnotewasapromisethatallmenwouldbeguaranteedtheinalienablerightsoflife；liberty；andthepursuitofhappiness。ItisobvioustodaythatAmericahasdefaultedonthispromissorynoteinsofarashercitizensofcolorareconcerned。Insteadofhonoringthissacredobligation；AmericahasgiventheNegropeopleabadcheckwhichhasebackmarked〃；insufficientfunds。〃；Butwerefusetobelievethatthebankofjusticeisbankrupt。Werefusetobelievethatthereareinsufficientfundsinthegreatvaultsofopportunityofthisnation。

Sowehaveetocashthischeckacheckthatwillgiveusupondemandtherichesoffreedomandthesecurityofjustice。WehavealsoetothishallowedspottoremindAmericaofthefierceurgencyofnow。Thisisnotimetoengageintheluxuryofcoolingoffortotakethetranquilizingdrugof