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'；scapitaltocashacheck。WhenthearchitectsofourrepublicwrotethemagnificentwordsoftheConstitutionandtheDeclarationofIndependence；theyweresigningapromissorynotetowhicheveryAmericanwastofallheir。
Thisnotewasapromisethatallmenwouldbeguaranteedtheinalienablerightsoflife；liberty；andthepursuitofhappiness。ItisobvioustodaythatAmericahasdefaultedonthispromissorynoteinsofarashercitizensofcolorareconcerned。Insteadofhonoringthissacredobligation；AmericahasgiventheNegropeopleabadcheckwhichhasebackmarked〃；insufficientfunds。〃；Butwerefusetobelievethatthebankofjusticeisbankrupt。Werefusetobelievethatthereareinsufficientfundsinthegreatvaultsofopportunityofthisnation。
Sowehaveetocashthischeckacheckthatwillgiveusupondemandtherichesoffreedomandthesecurityofjustice。WehavealsoetothishallowedspottoremindAmericaofthefierceurgencyofnow。Thisisnotimetoengageintheluxuryofcoolingoffortotakethetranquilizingdrugof